Hola Baja: The Texture of the Place, the Heartbeat of its People Exhibit

In itself, the word “hola” is a happy sound. Saying it causes you to move your face muscles upward in an openly welcoming manner. If you were to ask Ingrid Lundquist where she would like to vacation, it would not be to the fine white sand beaches of Hawaii, to Paris the city of love, or to Africa for a safari. She would go to the land of the beating sun where dust clings to your body like a cheap price sticker and colors vibrate to distract you from the surrounding hardships. Lundquist would go south of the border, to a place where, when you hear someone say “hola,” it automatically brings a smile to your face.

In June 2014, Ingrid Lundquist joined five photographers on a Viewpoint-sponsored workshop. They spent three days exploring the surrounds of the ocean side hamlet of Rosarito Beach, just across the border from San Diego. On the web, Rosarito Tourism lists “16 Things to Do.” They missed all 16, including the Tequila Museum, and the Shooters Billiards and Sports Bar. What they did see was raw magic.