The Pala Fruit Market

On our way from San Diego to the Anza-Borrego Desert we stopped at a roadside fruit stand in the tiny Pala Indian reservation. For $3.10 I bought:

a small red onion
1 honeydew melon
3 large Big Jim Chiles
2 Haas avocados
2 kiwis
1 pound tomatillos
3 Gala apples
1 green bell pepper


Driving through the Imperial Valley I was excited to see so many crops. Is everyone thrilled to see an acre of Swiss chard? We saw vast fields of chard, artichokes (by far the most beautiful!), lettuce, spinach, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, tangelos, and acres and acres of dates. We visited the Oasis Date Farm and sampled black, Noor, Deglet, and Medjool dates.

I always read with great interest the park regulations wherever we visit. The Salton Sea State Recreation Area is the first I have seen where nudity is specifically prohibited. Parks in other states generally concern themselves with fishing regulations, hours of quiet, trash disposal, and fussing about alcohol consumption.