Product Description

Greg Niemann, long-time Baja California journalist and author of Baja Fever, shares his extensive knowledge of the peninsula—its colorful past and booming present—in this easy-to-read reference book.

Get to know the “founding fathers” of Baja, the padres, pirates, and pioneers who scratched a living from the desert and the sea, plus the world-famous faces and still-famous places that keep this tiny finger of land in the international spotlight.

All of the pertinent history and lore, every one of the amazing Baja stories, fill the pages of Baja Legends to overflowing and make it a “must have” for seasoned Bajaphiles as well as those who are planning their first trip south of the border.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #213494 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 260 pages

Vee Webber, Discover Baja
...covers nearly all the bases of Baja... Baja Legends has as much as any four books put together.

Roberto Van Wormer Ruiz, State Tourism Coordinator, Baja California Sur
An easy-to-read contemporary history of the people and resorts that helped make Baja what it is today…

Graham Mackintosh, author of Into a Desert Place and Journey With a Baja Burro
“What an amazing book of Baja lore and legends...an impressive collection of answers to those often-asked Baja questions..."

Customer Reviews

History along theTranspeninsular Highway
As a seasoned Baja traveller, having visited most of the places described in the book I found the book very interesting. This is the type of book where you can pick and choose your topic,there no need to follow page by page, chapter by chapter. The author, Greg Niemann has written another book about Baja entitled Baja Fever: Journeys into Mexico's Intriguing Peninsula, so he knows his subject, mostly from first hand experience . As stated I have visited many of the places but did not know some of the history behind the places. The history of the development of the tourist destination of Baja is very interesting and steeped in myth and legend. The authors sifts through all the information and presents a well documented account of what really happened in many instances debunkng some of the myths. The little known history of Baja is fascinating. The influence of foreign investors and old Hollywood retreats in Baja is part of the folklore that makes Baja what it is today. If you are the type of person who likes to lodge information in your brain for later recall than this book is for you. This is a great book for reference for that trip to Baja or to recall when you take friends down and pull a "did you know that...." About three fourths of the book is dedicated to the regions of Baja that are in the North, down as far as San Quintin. Central Baja south to Cabo is covered in the rest of the book. The book is recommended for the Baja traveler and community libraries.

A good guide for the drive down.
While I found the writing style simplistic, fifth-grader-like, the book is a great guide to read as you are bumping along the Transpenisular. It highlights points of interest and trivia that make the traveler more aware of and in touch with the history of Baja. It also provides a brief overview of the pre-history and Mission history of the peninsula which are essential to an understanding how Baja evolved the way it has.

Makes me want to go back!
I used to live down in Baja and this book sure makes me want to go back. The author has put a lot of information--history and the like--in his book, but what really comes across is the fun he's had traveling there, especially the people he's met. He writes about all the people I remember, like Mama Espinoza and the Reyes' family, but also about places I haven't been, like down in the East Cape. Can't take a vacation yet this year--guess I'll just reread the book!