SV Luna Moth

Blind on Board: Cruising on an Outbound 46 With and Without Sight

Sidewalks of Ensenada – A Blind Person’s Perspective

Tiffany has an unhappy look as her pink cane goes into a small hole in the sidewalk.
Tiffany Finding a Hole with Her Cane

While wandering around taking pictures for an upcoming blog, Lisa missed spotting a hole in the sidewalk, causing Tiffany to get her cane jammed in it. This gave us the idea to document just how tricky it can be to get around a Mexican town, whose sidewalks could use some love, when you’re blind.

Two long metal hatches with open holes are dented in as if run over by a car.
Underground Access Hatches Hazard

There’s a lot of plates and grates around town, some of which have seen better days. The above hatch looks to have had a tangle with a car…we avoid.

Colapsed sidewalk leads up a a metal hatch, one side of which is sticking up.
Broken Sidewalk and Sketch Hatch

The above fun obstacle combines a collapsing sidewalk with a hatch that might hold up…

Steep rustic steps lead the way down to a broken up path reminiscent of a hiking trail.
Just When You Think You Know What’s Coming

The path to birria lies down these stairs, so it’s a route well worn by us. In the winter it floods, adding an extra level of challenge.

Slabs of broken sidewalk just up a foot and a half into to the air. Beside it is a missing section, making the entire sidewalk with a hazard.
Earthquake Damage?

Blind or not, this sidewalk is not that great.

A rusted rebar lattice stands as the only reminder of where a cement access lid once resided.
The First Hole’s Big Brother

There is always something new and unfamiliar.

The street side half of a sidewalk section has collapsed. Weeds take over the edges and a large chunk of concrete sits on top.
The O&M 201 Classroom is Ready

Having O&M (Orientation and Mobility, blindness travel training) lessons in Ensenada must be next level.

Tiffany walks down a narrow sidewalk, her hand up to avoid hitting a staircase that comes down in the walkway.
Watch Your Head

It’s not just the ground you have to worry about, there’s often things at head level to dodge…

A smiling Tiffany ducks under a low hanging palm tree that's grown over the sidewalk.

or duck under.

It’s all worth it though. Ensenada is a great little city and we’ve enjoyed exploring its food culture while we’ve used it as our home base for projects. In the next post we’ll talk more about the things we love about the town…

svlunamoth

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