Baja California - La Paz, mad dogs and Englishmen.

In a previous post I mentioned getting out and walking before the heat of the day. Well after a shower, some clothes hand washing, 2 cups of coffee, breakfast and online banking it was noon before I left the house. But I wasn't planning on going far, or for very long. Part of the problem is that there is no "shady side of the street" at that time of day. Anyway, I was looking for a couple of buildings that had been closed when I found them on the weekend; Unidad Cultural and Archivo Historico

On the way I passed this. I must live a sheltered life, I've never seen a "Beer Tunnel Express", a drive through (literally) beer store, before.

This is where I was headed as I had read there is an art gallery and theatre in the building.

 I found the gallery but it was closed and I could see that they were mounting a new show. I heard noise from the open door of the theatre and found that there was an art exhibit in the lobby.
 

I don't know if there was a title or theme to the exhibition but some of it seemed to left over from Dia de los Muertos which was at the beginning of the month.

 

The Day of the Dead is a big celebration in Mexico with people dressing up as skeletons and a fiesta like atmosphere. It is also a time to decorate graves, remember family members who have passed away and eat the food that they loved.

 

"Trascender" by Edelmira Ridriguez Morales

 

It wasn't all gruesome. "Bailarina" by Aline Flores.

 

"Nina con Esterella" by Gerardo Fernandez.

 

This one had an element of collage to it. "Arbol de la Vida" by Vicente Cedillo Nieto

 

"Abalax" by Lizette Inzunza. Loved this, the colour was perfectly spilt red wine colour. Not the colour of the wine in the glass but the muddier, purplier colour when it stains a cloth. But I never think of dancing when I spill wine. Or is it that the wine tastes like dancing or is it an ink blot thing. Shouldn't think too much about it, I just loved the image.

 

Finally in honour of my courtyard visitors. "Triptico de Colibris" by Maria Azucena Quevedo Luque

 I walked up the stairs to the open doors of the theatre and watched for a moment a musical performance of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf before an audience of children.
 

This building had big glass doors and I could see there were photographs lining the lobby and corridors.

The photos were of La Paz from the 1920's on, many labeled as "postcards". It was interesting to see the dirt streets, single story thatched and adobe houses, horses and wagons and then old cars, earlier versions of the port and malecon and the cathedral with no towers and then with one tower.
Well, that is what I had planned to do but then looking down the street I could see and smell the sea. So even though I was hot and didn't have my good walking shoes on, I headed down the slight hill.

This reminded me of the houses I had just seen in the old photos. The old brick was being repointed and some replaced. Newer construction is with cement blocks or poured cement then covered with stucco.

This just makes me laugh. Wheel chair access at the corners but there is no way a wheelchair could traverse the irregular sidewalks of cement, stone, sand, gravel, steps, ridges and ramp driveways. I saw one woman with a cane walking down the middle of the street. It was the smoothest area.

A man called me over to look at the Poinsettas he was selling. Each one in a brown paper bag like illicit alcohol. When I took a picture he pointed

to a prettier one to take.

I walked down to the fishing area that I had seen on my first walk, last week, and walked along it. There was a a woman cooking the fresh fish on hot coals for a group of fishermen. It smelled heavenly.

The pelicans looked well fed

 

and content.

I have seen one of these on the telephone pole, from the courtyard, but on the walk home was able to get a picture. A Gilded Flicker

 So, home, after 2 and a half hours walking in the heat of the day. Hot, blistered and looking for a green salad and avocado for lunch. I'm really going to miss these avocados.