Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Hussong's Cantina

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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There's GOLD in them thar hills!!

It was February of 1889 when Southern California newsmen popularized the story of gold being discovered in Baja California, Mexico. Based primarily on hearsay, these rumors and dreams of finding gold were published in short pamphlets, newspapers and mining journals.

There was very little data or documented fact of gold actually being found in the area known as Ensenada today. The Santa Clara gold rush of 1889 lasted less than a month, however, merchants, businessmen and enterprising individuals temporarily profited.

Men with their dreams of striking it rich came here from all over the world to find their fortune.

Hussong's Cantina today

The photo above is the original Hussong's Cantina, surrounded today by modern buildings.

Hussong's Cantina is the oldest and best known cantina in Baja California, Mexico. The original was established in 1892.

Johann Hussong was 25 years old when he arrived from Germany looking for gold and he had left his sweetheart Louise, back home. Johann soon realized that making his fortune from mining gold was more fantasy than reality

A closer look at Hussong's Cantina

With the initial publicity of the gold discovery, the steamship lines, stagecoach lines, as well as the relatively newfangled railroad all sought to capitalize on the mining throngs going to Mexico from all over the United States.

The steamers doubled their regular fees and scheduled extra runs. They were loaded to the gills every time with men, animals and equipment.

Johann Hussong (who changed his name to John) could see the writing on the wall, and instead of mining, began began to run supplies up and down the Baja coast. He was able to talk his girlfriend, Louise, into coming to the new frontier to be his wife.

He also hunted fowl and sold these to the restaurants which opened up to feed the miners. He was dong so well, that in 1890 he began running a six-horse carriage service between the town of Ensenada into the gold rush camps on a very bad road. One day he and his companion Newt House, flipped the carriage and Newt broke his leg.

Inside Hussong's Cantina today

With no nearby hospital for recuperation, Newt was put up in a cantina called Meigg's Bar, owned by J.J. Meiggs, the only “watering hole in town.”

As the story goes, two days after John and Newt arrived at the bar, Meiggs went after his wife with an axe. Meiggs was sent to jail and his wife fled to California.

When he got out of jail, J.J. asked John to manage his bar while he went up north to retrieve his wife. And John did so for nearly a year, but  Meiggs never returned.

Hussong's Cantina is popular on both sides of the border

 Across the street from Meiggs Cantina was the stagecoach stop. John purchased the building, remodeled it and then opened a small restaurant where he sold beer for a nickel and whiskey for a dime.

In 1892 he bought his liquor license, #002, which is still on the books today. John Hussong at 29, now owned what would become the oldest and most famous bar still in operation in all of Baja California.

That is quite a feat!

The original flooring in Hussong's Cantina

The oak wood floor you see above is the very same floor walked on by the four generations of Hussong’s that would continue the lineage up to the great grandchildren.

Bags of whole peanuts are the tradition here, and are sold today for 80Pesos, about $4USD. The shells are thrown on the floor where pigeons fight over the scraps walking in and around your legs undeterred.

Legend goes that the Margarita was created here in 1941 by their bartender, Don Carlos Orozco.

Margarita Henkel was the daughter of the German Ambassador to Mexico, and used to frequent Hussong's Cantina. Orozco made a concoction of equal parts tequila, damiana and lime which was served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass - made especially for her, he named the drink "Margarita" in her honor!

Another view of Hussong's Cantina

Today, Hussong's Cantina is in the same building in which it was founded and little has changed since it opened.

You can see historical photos and news clippings line the walls.

The second Hussong's Cantina opened in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2010. It is located on the Las Vegas strip, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Our bill for 2 people

Along with the Gunslingers, movie stars and revolutionaries who have quenched their thirst at Hussong's, you'll find Billy and Akaisha doing the same thing.

This is our bill, totaling 360Pesos before tip, about $18USD.

You can see on the bill that if you pay in USD instead of Pesos, their exchange fee is a bit more.

Of course, being local Mexicans ourselves, we paid for our drinks in Pesos.

Definitely recommended for the experience.

Hussong's Cantina

Avenida Ruíz 113

Colonio Zona Centro 22800

Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

http://www.cantinahussongs.com/home.html

Email: info@cantinahussongs.com

Tele: 646. 178. 3210

Specials: Tuesdays 2 for one beer, Saturdays 2 for one Margaritas

For more information, photos and stories about Ensenada, Baja California, Click Here

For more information, photos and stories about Mexico, Click Here

VIDEOS, VIDEOS, VIDEOS! See Mexico for yourself! Beaches, Bars, Babes, Great Food, Live Music.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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