Mural on a side street
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La Paz
La Paz, Mexico |
La Paz, Mexico
We arrived outside the harbor late morning on Monday. We did not have a slip as they were all full. The Baja Ha-Ha fleet is spreading all over the Sea of Cortez and further south but are still showing up in mass at many locations. I had emailed to the harbor master at one of the marinas the previous week. She had told me they were full but to show up at the mouth of the harbor and just start calling the marinas and ask if there had been any cancellations. The phone does not work so you need to use the VHF radio. We started calling Monday morning and there was nothing available until I contacted Marina Cortez. I had emailed them Sunday afternoon and they too had told me there were no empty slips. But this time she ask where was I? I told her that I was at the mouth of the harbor and she told me to hold on. After waiting a few minutes she came back and said that she had talked to her boss and there was a 100′ slip available for our 45’+ boat! Great we said and started heading in. It is about 2 miles going down a narrow channel before you start arriving to the city and it’s marinas. They greeted us at the dock and helped us tie up. Then there is the paper work…. after about half an hour we are all checked in. I must say all the people at all of the marinas have bent over backwards to be accommodating. When we had arrived the shore power for us, on the dock, was not functioning. Apparently the previous boat had departed and had neglected to unplug. Half of the plug was still plugged in and had shorted out the unit. They said they Would fix it quickly for us. Upon our return, after doing the paper work, they asked me to give it a try. I plugged in the cord and went below to check a meter below as to what power was coming in. This is a safety, so I can make sure it is all OK, before I flip a switch, sending power in to the boat. In many marinas, foreign and domestic, there are issues. I got a zero reading and told the fellow and his helper. They said un momento and played with the breakers. They then asked me to try again. The same result. He came over and said it must be my cord. He reached over to unplug it and touch a piece of metal and zap, he received an electric shock! He was not happy. I asked if he had a meter and he replied no. I told him I did and fetched it. From ground to neutral and ground to the hot lead, we had power. I told him that was wrong. We went back to the box where he had made the repair. We opened it up and discovered that he had wired the hot wire to the ground connection! This could have been very serious for them and for us. But they fixed it and life goes on, in Mexico, no problemo! We set out on foot and soon realized it was a national holiday, Revolution Day! This celebrates the revolution from 1910-1920, against the dictator Diaz. (Where are you now Pancho Villa and Emilio Zapata!?!) This was a true agrarian revolt that radically alter the culture and government of Mexico, at the time. All the streets are named after revolutionary heroes and commemorate special dates of the revolution. The city of La Paz is not like any of the tourist cities or border towns of Mexico, that you may have visited. The city affronts the Sea of Cortez with an avenue that separates the city from the water, the Malecon. Reminds me of a smaller Havana, Cuba, that I visited 14 years ago. There is little hustle on the streets, like you have in the tourist cities. Just families and young couples walking the long Malecon. There are small restaurants and murals on the one side and sculptures on the water side. A lot of artist have moved here and it shows. Also there is a large contingent of Expats who live here. Some live on the land and many live on their boats, anchored just across the channel from the city. They have a central meeting area, at one of the marinas, with an area to share books and dvds. They also do a net, over the VHF, every morning at 8:00, except Sunday. The first questioned asked, is are there any medical emergencies? They then go on and ask new arrivals, like us, to introduce themselves. Next is weather for La Paz and people sailing in different directions and finally opened up to announcements on up coming events and people’s needs. There is a barter section, if you need something or have something you want to part with. Only Mexican citizens can sell things in Mexico otherwise you can barter. so on the radio you will here “I have a SSB radio that I will trade for coconuts”! This group, our new temporary community, is having a thanksgiving get together tomorrow. It cost us 200 pesos ($10) each. They provide the turkey and stuffing and everyone else brings a side dish. The weather was hot upon our arrival but the last few days has been the low to mid 80’s during the day and low 70’s at night. We plan on leaving La Paz Monday morning and taking three days sailing back to Cabo San Lucas. It will be just Vickie, myself and Zelda and we will tuck in each night. Once in Cabo my brother Kevin will join us as we begin the bash going north. Till next time. Dennis