Baja California - La Paz, another walk about

March 2013, George waiting patiently, listening to his music, while I sketched at Chichen Itza.

George has been gone, 3 years today. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with support. Three and a half years ago we were both in another Mexican city, Merida, for a month. Before leaving the house this morning I had a look at some of those blog posts

March 2013. In the hammock, trying to figure out the bus schedule. We never did figure it out.

March 2013. George was pretty happy with these snacks in tortillas, they were a buck each.

While I wandered La Paz today, I was reminded of that great trip, how far out of George's comfort zone we were and how much we both enjoyed it. He was always uncomfortable when he couldn't speak the language or read the writing. He had got sick in Mexico before, in Oaxaca, so was worried about the food and he just didn't feel safe in Mexico. However after about a week, we settled in and both loved it. He could order beer and ask for the check in Spanish and he had no ill effects from the food and we felt safe in Merida.

Walking along the sidewalk in La Paz, like Merida, you are often ducking the trees. George at nearly 6 foot was having to deal with a culture in which the people, Mayan, were much smaller than him, Trees cut at about 5 foot, awnings and tarps over stalls all had to be ducked. Although the people here are a bit taller they are still shorter than the average Canadian, lots of ducking as I walk along the sidewalk.

Merida had old, Spanish architecture. La Paz doesn't. I spent today looking for some old buildings. I passed this one, brick, wood shingle roof, but couldn't tell if it was being refurbished or knocked down.

When visiting with Dale in Todos Santos she showed me old brick buildings and said that people were actually taking the stucco off and exposing the original brick below. T.S. is aiming for "quaint and picturesque". La Paz on the other hand is covering brick with stucco to look clean, modern, efficient.

Lying in the shade, giving me the eye, but he didn't stir enough to bark at me. There are dogs here, in the yards and being walked on the malecon but I haven't seen any strays. Dale told me that there had been a push to round them up and neuter them.

I couldn't resist it, "Dogtor", hee hee.

I'm assuming its a "kindergarten"

 

I arrived at the central square along a different route and this is the side of the catedral. It was full as was another church I walked past. Everyone in their best clothes. Music and singing.

Balloons, perhaps a reward for having been good in church.

The nuns having a bake sale.

Children everywhere feed and then chase pigeons.

I sat in the park and sketched the cultural centre, opposite the catedral and then continued on beyond the square still looking for an older neighbourhood.

This row looked as if it might have been older but really I didn't find much that had the feel of being "old La Paz"

By now I was getting hot and tired and as it was about 1:30, started to look for a place for lunch. I was at the far end of town so walked back along the malecon and found a restaurant where I could just get something light.

All I ordered was vino tinto, agua and gaucamole. The nachos and salsa come to the table automatically (like we might get bread)  and at this restaurant they also bought another dip to (the one in the middle). It was delicious and I asked the waiter what it was. He went and got the chef who came out to tell me it was a secret, then laughed and told me it was homemade; tomato, chilli, salt and mayonnaise. I was stuffed and couldn't finish it all.

I nursed the meal and wine as I had a great view across the bay from my table. Pelicans, gulls, osprey and frigate birds all flying, diving, fishing, perching for my entertainment.

Two of these cruised by every now and then. The police were armed and there was a mounted machine gun in the back of the truck.

Entertained by the boats too. Wind was under 10 knots, temperature in the mid 20's, lovely day for the spinnaker.

I paid la cuenta and walked along the beach as the tide was out. Lots of birds digging in the wet sand. This might be a marbled godwit.

The fishing boats were pulled up on the beach.

I guess the fish get a break on Sundays.

I'll never have to look up a reddish egret again, they are identifiable by the way they dance around while fishing, dodging this way and that, (ADHD bird)

Hammerhead shark sculpture.

I walked about half way back along the malecon before flagging down a taxi and coming home.

Baja California - La Paz, another lazy day in the sun

I slept badly, fear dreams kept waking me up. The incident with the cop had me feeling a bit shaky and unsafe. Over my morning coffee I got on the internet and read many stories similar to mine. There was also a lot of conflicting advice:
- carry a "cop wallet" with a photocopy of your license (he is less in control if he doesn't have your original) and the amount of money you are prepared to use to pay him off.
- never pay the bribe as you are perpetuating the behaviour.
- take down his name and badge number and insist on a ticket (it can be paid at the police station or mailed in).
- foreigners are far more likely to be targeted for traffic infractions than Mexicans
- the Mexican authorities want to stop this behaviour but can't if we keep paying them off.
- nobody wants to spend their holiday, dealing with a Mexican police station and don't know how they will be treated.
- etc etc

It all has made me worried about driving here. Feeling as if the Alamo sticker on the back of the car makes me a target. One of the forums suggests for expats spending a lot of time here its worth not driving your U.S. car but having a cheap Mexican one to drive around.
That having been said I decided that I wasn't going to let this stop me enjoy my stay and drove to the grocery store. I have been stopping at the 4 way stops (in spite of the danger of the car behind me running into me because he doesn't expect it) but now I am stopping and checking all around, not only to make sure it is safe from other cars but also checking for police cars.

After that I was planning on a stay at home day anyway, so here's some pictures of the house;

The living room has 2 comfy couches, bright walls, cushions and art work.

The kitchen has everything you need; coffee maker, microwave, gas stove, frig, toaster oven and lots of dishes etc.

There are 2 bedrooms. I am staying in the blue one. Ceiling fans in both bedrooms and 2 in the living room along with air conditioners. Two bathrooms as well.

The courtyard door opens right into the living room. There is a dining table that folds into a sideboard size piece of furniture.

It is comfortable, efficient and well appointed. Its no sacrifice to have an "at home" day. I took my camera outside with me when I sat in the courtyard with my glass of wine and a Food and Wine Magazine (Dale has some excellent magazines on the coffee table), hoping to get some hummingbird pictures. After a few failures, one little female co-operated.

Drinking from the aloe plant that is in flower.

This is a female but I'm not sure if it is a Costas or a Xantus, both native to this area. There are also Anna's and Black Chins but they all move so fast it is hard to identify them.

She appears to be slightly green on her back. This plant is very popular with the local hummingbird population and I have seen a variety of males and females and colourings.

Baja California - Todos Santos and a Mexican cop

I am staying here, in La Paz, in a house exchange. Dale and her friend, Evelyn, came and stayed at my place in Long Point, a year ago in September. Now I am staying at one of her 2 houses in Baja California Sur. Today I went to visit Todos Santos, where her other home is and had lunch and a tour with her.
Todos Santos is about an hour from La Paz, after you get out of the urban sprawl, which can take a while. It was back on the highway that I came in on and then take the turn off for Todos Santos and the road takes you right onto the main street. I immediately felt more relaxed. It has a small town feel, easy to find a place to park just one block off the main street. I was early for the lunch date with Dale so just walked around.

Looking down the main street. The Pacific Ocean is on the distance at the right.

I stopped at a gallery and looked at work by Jill Logan and  Lee Mothes. Some lovely work. I especially fell in love with the waves but it was all way out of my price range. I continued on, looking for galleries but didn't actually find any more. There were however lots of tourist/souvenir shops to peruse:

Elaborate bead work

Silver jewelry, many with precious stones.

Cut work which I was told was made from bark and cactus wood.

Also leather, wood carvings, frig magnets and T shirts. Some in stores and some in little market areas off the street.

Woven blankets, rugs, table runners, shawls.

A variety of ceramics; mugs, plates, jugs, bowls and skulls (human and animal)

Down a side street and it is less touristy. This is the church that sits on the location of the original mission building.

In front of it is a large open square with trees and benches and a pretty band shell.

Along one side, the theatre. The Festival de Cine Todos Santos takes place in March and runs for 10 days.

I met up with Dale who picked me up and took me, off the tourist path, to a Mexican restaurant.

Dale had an enchilada and I can't remember the name of what I had but it was a pepper, stuffed with shrimp, battered, deep fried and then covered with a red sauce. It was served with a salad with peppers and avocados. It was delicious, light and fresh. Plus a beer. I only seem to drink beer in Mexico.

Dale then took me on a quick tour of the community.

First the Beach Club, on the beach but with a lovely pool and a restored lighthouse.

From here we could see the fishing beach, where the fishermen drive full out towards the beach, pop up their motors and let the surf drive them in.

Beautiful views and

absolutely nobody on that long, lovely beach.

Next we drove up to a restaurant on a nearby hill top.

Views back towards the mountains, hazy today.

Down into Todos Santos, so much greener than the surrounding mountains or the area around La Paz.

Down the coast. Looking down on the Beach Club and the fishing beach.

Back into town and Dale showed me her lovely home and then a couple of downtown hotels in original brick buildings.

The church and theatre from a roof top bar. Great place to have a drink and watch the sun go down.

Todos Santos has a very relaxed feel. It is also very lush, very green. The valley is famous for its organic agriculture and one of the English language publications described it as "bohemian". The beaches are also famous for their surfing opportunities and only some are safe for swimming.
It was a lovely afternoon and Dale was an excellent host and she got me back on the road before it was dark however that was not to be the end of the days events.
Here's were the Mexican cop piece of the title comes in. I was driving along the main road into La Paz, in the middle lane of 3 lanes of slow moving traffic, transport trucks on either side. Lots of honking of horns and loud Mexican music coming from all around. I saw blue flashing lights a few cars behind so eased into the right hand lane to let him pass, as did the cars behind me. But he didn't pass, so I moved off onto the side of the road. Big black SUV. Big uniformed cop with a gun in his holster. "What did I do?" He only knew a few words in English; "4 way stop" "Your license" "Fine 160 US Dollars" There was no way I could see a 4 way stop, jammed as I was and no way I was doing anything different from all the other cars around me, except of course I had a rental car sticker on the back, but I wasn't about to argue with the man over that. However I told him I had no US dollars, I'm from Canada not U.S. I only have Pesos. He kept repeating "160 Us Dollars no problemo". I was getting the picture. I wasn't about to pull out the pouch that had my U. S. money in it (I had about $100) so I pulled out my wallet and showed him that I had 300 pesos and kept repeating that I didn't have USdollars, only pesos. This went on for a few exchanges and then with a sigh he said "No problemo Senora", took the 300 pesos and gave me back my license. Whew!
I guess I got off lightly, he asked for the equivalent of $220 Canadian and got the equivalent of $20 Canadian.