La Paz Trip November 14, 2022

The WhatsApp message chimed on my phone at 7 am. It was my new Saskatchewanian friend, Angela.

“There’s no wind today — a great day to go to La Paz for my errands! Would you still like to come along?”

“I’m in, but you know I’m a little anxious.” Please send me the make, model, and license plate of your car.”

“In case we disappear?” she asked?

I had heard true stories of people getting pulled over by police on the long mountainous road to La Paz on excursions from La Ventana.

“I won’t go toward dusk,” Angela told me the day before. And went on to explain the time she turned right on a red light, the police stopped her, took her driver’s license, and demanded she pay an $80 fine. She got off lucky.

My Uncle Nick’s first wife, Anne, also warned me about driving to La Paz in Messenger:

“Please, please be careful if you are near La Paz. We took a side trip there from Cabo not realizing the bandits were in full force. It was a long lonely mountainous drive. Once in La Paz pulled over by police because a tail light was missing on the car. They demanded $$$$$$$. [turned out to be $500!] We were starving but got back in the car headed back to Cabo & never drove that road again.” ❤️👏👏

Graham, too, had had an encounter: “They pulled me over and asked for my driver’s license. I wouldn’t give it, and they looked in the rear passenger window and saw a six pack of beer on the floor of the car — all unopened. The officer insinuated I was drinking and driving. I demanded to speak to the supervisor when they said they were going to bring me in. Somehow they backed down, and I drove away.

Although I was nervous about going, I decided to join Angela on her chores day. She assured me that her car was in fine working order, and she would follow all the driving rules to the best of her knowledge. (She did once have to learn that a flashing green meant you have to stop!) Angela had done the trip at least 20 or 30 times before, and I did the risk analysis and had her pick me up at 8:30 — plenty of time to get there and back before dark at 5:30. I left the photos of her car with Graham and away we went.

Don’t let the Saskatchewan plates fool you; you can get car insurance here, but cannot have a license plate unless you are Mexican. Mexican car insurance for Canadians is iffy, but better something than nothing!

(Anyway, I figured I’d video tape any wrongdoings that came our way— I was prepared!)

The first encounter were beautiful and horses (and then regular cows — ear tags in place like earrings) along the road. The system here is if you see wildlife on the road, you put on your hazard lights, so the drivers coming your way are altered. Isn’t that grand?! As we drove further, we came across drivers with their hazards on, and soon enough we came across more cows or horses. I love that system :)

As we got to the outskirts of La Paz, (pop 250, 000) Angela pulled over in front of the international corporation of Coca Cola

Of course, Coca Cola trucks are everywhere here. One of Julien’s co-ops was with Coca Cola, so of course I thought of him! Angela brought the car to a complete stop, turned it off and parked then pulled out her phone and got oriented from the outskirts into the downtown core where the shop was she wanted. Angela has a SIM card for her phone while in Mexico and has a pay-as-you-go plan you can either reload at their OXXO store (like a 7-11), or put it on your credit card. I think I’d do that if I came back!

I navigated with the app, and Angela focused on watching the traffic, lights, and one way streets. Signs were not always easy to read, but we eventually got to our designation in the cutest quarter I’ve been in in quite a while.

Little restaurants and coffee shops were throughout this district a block from the water. We both needed a “strategic stop”, so I suggested I’d buy a coffee and we’d use their restroom.

Typical toilets, urinal, and sink outside the lockable door. I ordered a decaf coffee, but having none, Angela picked up a juice. Not a cigar which was an option!

As we strolled looking for the store, we had a bit of fun!

The ladies are in the beautiful little park behind me — that’s why I took the picture from the back!

Stopping to chat with a group of women gathering in the park to do some sewing for Christmas Eve (“Noche Buena”, they said.)

I was impressed with Angela’s Spanish. I could understand everything she said with the women, in the shop we visited next, and at Home Depot! Angela was keen to buy a lampshade (lampara) for her condo here. Unexpectedly the store was a beautiful clothing and house wears shop with gorgeous dresses, blown glass, and pieces of furniture.

The jug has a separate pocked for ice so drinks don’t get watered down! I may have bought one of these beautifully blown glasses…

pictured is a version of the shade Angela got as well.

The store is on instagram and facebook, and has a location in Los Cabos. I recommend checking them out @mezclabsc. The owner was super genuine, had a great laugh and gorgeous hair! We ran into another Canadian trying on their beautiful Italian cotton dresses. Imagine — three Canadian women in shop in the Baja!

I loved this mirror with the petrified cacti in the frame;

As we walked back to the car, and I picked up two little snacks from the OXXO (“2 X 40p” screamed the sale price sticker!) A simple snack for three bucks — likely not nutritious, but like I said before — it’s the experience!

So onto the “Gringo” part of town with the big box stores like Home Depot and Walmart. I’m wondering even if it’s okay to use the word Gringo anymore. I know Latinos do because it’s their language, but what about us travellers? What do you think?

Home Depot is ready for Christmas, too!

I wished I could bring this metal decoration home to my sister for her yard display — so cute! ($42), but clunky!

See the blow up Santa next to the sign? I love how some parking lots offer shade for the cars.

These extension cords were the cutest, no? On sale! But no comprar (I didn’t buy any!) (~$20)

And $7 for a sweet pointsettia. That really tells me Christmas is coming. I’ve got to show you the one I saw on the beach next to a tent at a local campsite. I’ll do that for my neighbourhood blog I’ve got coming next.

Home Depot was full of English speaking staff, and was literally like being at a Home Depot in Burnaby, but WAY cleaner washrooms!

Who knew?!

We only had the energy for a little grocery shop at a local store that felt like a Target or mini SuperStore, but pretty good quality.

We got in and out pretty quickly. I learned that the elder woman who packaged our groceries in our cloth bags worked only on tips. Both the cashier and the packer had their masks on.

We drove easily home without incident by 3 pm, way before sunset, and I got home in time for my Ukrainian study buddy appointment and my two-hour class. I was spent, and Angela and I had agreed that staying that vigilant took some energy, but I thoroughly enjoyed my day with my new Canadian-Mexican amiga and the risk was worth it!

I’d love to see this exhibit as you can imagine!

Graham’s got a kiteboarding lesson 10K north of here, so we’re getting ready to head out. I’m going to cycle as I have a meeting at 3 pm for my next Displaced Ukrainian event in December. I had to cancel yesterday, and hope all is forgiven! I’m going by bike to watch him soar, and will get to and from on my own wheels. His instructor, Diego, is going to pick him up in a car.