The Motel

 We are driving down the Baja Coast looking for the perfect place to spend the night.  We want a room right on the water where we can hear the ocean roar.  We stopped and looked at several motels.  None of the rooms are on the ocean.  It seems that all the motels have rooms perpendicular to the Pacific and that is not what we want.  We want the waves to crash in front of us; we want to be close and hear the roar of the surf.  We continued to drive south.  Some motels are closed.  Some motels look questionable to stay in.  Nothing seems just right. 

Finally, we come upon a motel where again the rooms are east-west and not facing the ocean, but they do appear to have something in the middle of the motel complex that is ocean front.  We go into the office and ask.  He directs us to the rooms we do not want.  Susan asks again about any room facing the ocean.  Finally, the man says reluctantly that they do have such a room but that we “will not want it”.  We ask to see it and he hesitates and then gives us the key.  We walked around the building to the ocean side.  It is right on the ocean.  The building is two stories.  Above is a restaurant and bar adjacent to the office.  Below are one or two rooms right up against the rocks and along a cracked sidewalk.   We walked into the room.  It has a bed, a flickering light, and a minimalist bathroom but seems clean.  We decide it is what we want.  We go back to the office and say we’ll take it.  The man seems so surprised. 

It is close to dinner time.  We went into the restaurant.  I believe we’re the only ones inside other than a couple at the bar.  We order some traditional Mexican food and have a beer.  It got dark and we went down to the room.  The tide is now up and the waves are crashing against the rocks.  Spray from the surf washes on the cracked little walkway and stray hits us and the room.  We go inside and turn on the flickering light.  There’s no sound from above.  The restaurant never has another diner, and the bar is now closed.  We open the window and hear the roar of the ocean, so very close.   

We settled into the room, feeling grateful to have found the perfect spot to spend the night. The sound of the ocean was soothing, and the salty breeze wafting in through the open window was refreshing. We spent some time sitting by the window, listening to the waves and watching the stars twinkle in the dark sky. The room was simple, but it had everything we needed for a comfortable stay.

As we lay in bed, listening to the sound of the ocean, we felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over us. It was as if all our worries and stresses had melted away in the presence of this powerful natural force. We slept soundly that night, lulled by the gentle rhythm of the waves.

In the morning, we woke up early and stepped outside to take in the view. The motel was situated on a rocky outcrop, with the ocean stretching out endlessly before us. Seabirds circled overhead, and the occasional seal or sea lion could be spotted in the distance. We walked along the cracked sidewalk, feeling the spray of the surf on our faces and the wind in our hair.

As we made our way back to the room, we noticed that the restaurant was open for breakfast. We decided to stop in and grab a bite to eat. The restaurant was quiet, with just a few other guests scattered about. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the food was delicious. We enjoyed our meal while gazing out at the endless expanse of blue.

After breakfast, we decided to take a walk along the beach. The sand was warm beneath our feet, and the water was refreshingly cool. We waded in up to our ankles and watched as the waves crashed against the shore. It was a peaceful and rejuvenating experience, and we felt grateful to be able to spend some time in such a beautiful place.

As the day wore on, we decided to explore the surrounding area. We hopped in the car and drove down the coast, taking in the stunning views and stopping at various attractions along the way. We visited a nearby lighthouse, hiked through a scenic nature reserve, and sampled some local cuisine at a roadside taco stand.

As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the motel. We were exhausted but happy, with a sense of deep contentment that came from being in such a beautiful place. We retired to our room, once again lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean.

The next morning, we woke up early and packed up our belongings. We said goodbye to the staff, who had become like friends during our stay, and made our way back to the car. As we drove away from the motel, we felt a sense of nostalgia for the peaceful and beautiful place we had called home for the past two days.

As we turned back north to the border, we couldn't help but feel grateful for the experience. We had found the perfect place to spend the night, a place where the ocean roared right outside our window, and where we could escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It was a place we would never forget.