After days of rain, sunshine made this year's invitation to the third annual Paella at the Hotel Cortez in San Felipe, Baja, Mexico irresistible. A $10 ticket provided each of us with our choice of three dishes. Grupo Necedades from Ensenada, Papi Chato Ole', Los Pinches and Los Camillos from Mexicali, and Club de Pesca from Tijuana created festive, authentic cuisines for this year's Paella in San Felipe.

As expected, the main ingredient in Paella is rice. However each group created its own unique dish. Some of the large paella pots were filled with crab claws, shrimp, clams, pork, chicken. Other pots simmered a fine blend for a more Mediterranean-style dish, filled with olives and seafood. No one went away hungry or disappointed.

What more could one ask for than to be on the blonde beach of the Sea of Cortez surrounded by friends, enjoying the wine tasting, mariachis, great food and the warmth of the San Felipe sun? Below are a few photos from this year's (2006) Paellas.