Giddy-Up Cowboy (Rodeo)

While paging through "El Mexicano - Diario Regional" (newspaper), I spotted an ad for VILLA CHARRA - RODEO. This place is so well known that no address was given. So I went to the ticket outlet and bought a ticket (100 pesos).

Well-ll-l-l, this place is decidedly out in the sticks. English won't cut it here, but my shoddy Spanish served me well. I ended up hitchhiking the last two miles. But I'll give you the easy version:

Taxi especial (negotiable - I was quoted $17.00 dollars

Two Taxis and a two-mile hitchhike;
Taxi Red & White at 5th Ave & Avenida Niños Heroes marked "Murua"
(maybe 6 pesos - pay after riding). Get off at "Gato Bronco" (southbound)
(Also known as "Mazatlan", but there are no street signs - It's at a signal light).

Go to the NW corner and catch any calafia (small bus) for 4 1/2 pesos
(pay when exiting), ride about 1/2 mile (just past where the southbound and
northbound parts of Gato Bronco join) to the road to Villa Charra
(there is a small sign).

As you enter the road, on the left you will notice a sign saying "Zona Riesgo - Inundación" (Dangerous Area - Flood Zone") and lining the left side of the road are some houses constructed of pallets with cardboard inner linings, and pallet fences (There are dogs here).

I hitched a ride to the next turn off (turn right), then three girls gave me a ride (Both rides were in the back of a pickup truck) the rest of the way. I paid their parking (20 pesos) in gratitude.

Upon entering, my bag was examined by municipal police. No outside food or beverage allowed.

I'm NOT a rodeo fan. There was one rather phenomenal bull ride in the adult class. The rodeo clowns were interesting.

The vast majority of the women (if not all) were accompanied.

After all of the bull (and horses), (about 7:30 pm) the crowd retired to the Patio Caballo Blanco. The good tables were reserved by notes, six-packs, and upturned chairs. The dance floor was an about 35 x 50 feet concrete slab.

Hint: When obtaining seating, remember to distance yourself from the speakers upon pain of hearing loss. The sound was so loud it rattled my windpipe.

I left early. This was no place I wanted to be stranded after dark.

I reversed course (hitchhiking, of course). I caught the first northbound calafia to Emiliano Zapata (again, no signs, but at a traffic signal), and on the north side of the street, caught the taxi de ruta back to town.

Thanks for the details!

Aren't there also rodeos in Playas (the beach area), at their local Cultural Center, several blocks east of the beach, just south of the bull ring? Certainly, those would be more easily accessible, and hence, perhaps with more latinas.

There are collectivo (routa) taxis from downtown to the length of the beach area, costing about $.60 U.S., from 3rd or 4th Street, a few blocks west of Revoluci'on, on the north side of the street. They are mostly yellow in color - which seems like an eminently sensible color, for taxis going to the beach.

The driver let me know when to get out for the Cultural Center, and gave me directions, when I went there.

There is also a phone number listed in AAA's guide to Baja, for a rodeo schedule.

Absolutely, but I didn't know it.

I was acting on an ad in the newspaper.
It was quite an adventure...