This section contains entries about our botanizing in Baja California written for the UC BEE (Oct 2012 to Aug 2021)
and The UC Bee Hive (2022-), monthly newsletters for volunteers and staff of the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden.
Click on any photo for a larger image.
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BEE APRIL 2018
Following are more images of San Miguel and San José de Comondú, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Adobe ruins in the center of San Miguel de Comondú.
Hacienda Don Mario has been extensively restored as a hotel with all the amenities. The building seen here is a community museum.
Part of the exterior of the Centro de Desarrollo de la Comunidad, the Community Development Center, built in 1977.
Door in building façade made of vertical carrizo stems (Arundo donax, Giant Reed).
On the other main, paved street. The road passes through the oasis and to the next town. Looking at the Google Earth map recently, I could see that many of these buildings have been restored since the map image was taken in 2011. Many of the buildings are still mere façades with the underlying adobe visible where the stucco is gone.
Rock wall dating back about 150 years, according to Victor who was restoring it. These walls can be between 18-24 inches thick.
Here the original wall with the dirt "glue" and rock sliver shims.
A very old olive tree in San José de Comondú.
The ruins were being used to store dried palm leaves.
The late afternoon light throws the buildings into sharp contrast against the looming darkness of the canyon walls behind.
Darling private residence. Hibiscus in front. Side gate made of vertical date palm ribs on a frame of scrap wood, including Cardón ribs.
Old adobe house sans its stucco.
San Miguel Comondú.
Rock wall mimicking nature´s wall. Between the two Comondús.
The lava boulders are hewn and fit together. In the original design, the spaces were filled with dirt or adobe (mud & plant matter like straw). Little slivers of rock act as shims.
Here, the original dirt filler is on the right. The restoration process is being done by adding a little bit of concrete to the dirt for strength.
Three giant Laureles or Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa) are very healthy here just above the oasis. These introduced ornamental trees are common across BCS. They reach towering heights and provide deep shade in town squares and as street trees.