La Paz, Friends, Good-byes and south to Mazatlan

I came to be quite comfortable in La Paz.  Its what happens when we spend a reasonable amount staying put in one place.  I like that feeling.  Its relaxing and less tiring because I’m not having to figure out new things every day.

Not surprisingly, my favourite place in La Paz was the bi-weekly (Tuesdays and Saturdays) farmers’ market.  Helen (my friend from Nightide) and I discovered some delicious food there, much of which was produced by expats – bagels, sour dough bread and meat pies – along with yummy stuff from Mexican vendors and farmers, my favourite being the fresh fruits and veggies, and prawns.  I went regularly and was never disappointed!

The large grocery stores tended to be a combo of grocery and non-grocery, sort of like the big Walmarts.  They were accessible and had most of what I had on my list.  One of things that still eludes me is lemon juice.  Funny.  I would often walk to the grocery and take a taxi back to Mayaluga loaded down with provisions for 50 Pesos, about $3.30 CDN.  A steal of a deal.  After analyzing our costs during the past few months (I’m a bookkeeper, what can I say?) I discovered that we spent 3 times as much on groceries in a month in the USA than we have in Mexico.  Groceries, alcohol and meals out are all very inexpensive here making cruising much more affordable for us.  The USA was a killer!  Tony and I discovered a great restaurant while walking to the grocery store one day.  On the main street, out of the tourist area, thatch roof, open sides, seating for well over 100, maybe 200, it was full of locals, no gringos.  We figured it must be good food so we stopped on the way back to Mayaluga for a late lunch.  Toro Guerro – the best prawns around!  A prawn dinner with all the trimmings was 200 Pesos, less than $15 CDN.  The serving was so big that I took some prawns back to the boat.  (It was so good, we made a second trip when our friends Anna and Jim visited.)

We spent most of our stay in La Paz at anchor in what’s known as El Mogote but when the winds were forecasted to blow hard and our friends Anna and Jim were due to arrive, we took some dock space at Marina de La Paz for about a week.  Marina de La Paz is particularly cruiser friendly and we really enjoyed our time there.  They provide space to Club Cruceros, a cruisers club that hosts and organizes events and activities and provides a library of books and DVDs.  We celebrated Christmas Eve at the annual Pot Luck with close to 100 other cruisers and New Years Eve at midnight UTC (5 pm local time) – what else would you expect for a bunch of cruisers!  In addition, the marina provides a dinghy dock for boats at anchor (20 Pesos/day) and use of their showers, also 20 Pesos.  About once a week, cruisers can drop off their propane bottles at the marina office and have them filled and delivered back.  There is a small laundry at the dock too.  My plan was too go do the laundry but it was so backed up by the gal, Diane, who provides a laundry service there, that I decided to just leave the laundry for her to do.  Amazing!  Beautifully washed, dried and folded for 270 Pesos (about $18 CDN).  And this was for a big pile of laundry because it hadn’t been done in over a month including a sleeping bag.  After that, Diane got all our laundry business!

One of the most surprising discoveries in La Paz was their movie theatre.  Helen suggested we all go see Rogue One, the new Star Wars movie.  The seats were large, comfortable leather recliners.  We had the option of purchasing food and drinks, including alcohol, and some movie goers were being served their meals at their seats.  Wow!!!  Now that’s the way to go to the movies!  Canada could learn a thing or two about movie theatres.

Our good friends from Victoria, Anna and Jim, visited us during the last week of December on their homeward bound trip from Santiago, Chile.  It was so great to have them with us  even though they were both terribly ill with chest infections.  La Paz cruisers are fortunate to have a fleet physician, Dr. Philly, who lives with her husband onboard their ferro-cement boat out on El Mogote.  Unlike Canada, Dr. Philly does house calls!  She arrived on her dinghy to see Anna.  We joked that she was, in fact, a Dinghy Doc!!  With some rest and medication………..and a couple of trips to the local pharmacies……….. Anna and Jim were on the mend when they left us early the morning of December 31 headed for Phoenix, Arizona to see family and friends.  Then onto Las Angeles to hop on a train for Seattle and the Clipper home.  There time with us in La Paz served to make our friendship stronger particularly because one of the medications that both Anna and Jim were prescribed had to be injected intramuscularly (thump in the rump) daily for 7 days.  Due to my experience with such things – as a former farmer who injected many goats and the fact that I currently inject my own “old goat” Tony – I was nominated to do the pokes.  We all laughed that this might be taking our friendship just a bit too far!!

On New Years Day 2017, Mayaluga and her crew sailed out of La Paz harbour headed south for Mazatlan with stops along the way at Pichilingue and Los Muertos.  We had to say goodbye to our buddy boat Nightide and her crew, Helen and Ian.  It was hard.  Tears came for both Tony and I.  Helen and Ian have not only been a huge help to us on a number of occasions but, more importantly, they have become very dear friends.  Helen and I have spent much time together over the past 4 plus months since we left Victoria last August.  It was so unexpected that we should even meet but I do believe that things happen for a reason.  Tony and I were destined to meet Helen and Ian and so it was.  We very much hope to hook up with Nightide again south of La Paz, maybe in Bandaras Bay, during the next few months.  Nightide is planning another trip north into the Sea of Cortez first and then intends to head south for the Panama Canal where they will transit to the Caribbean.  Mayaluga will head west to French Polynesia.  We look forward to a reunion!!

Our good friends, Mayo and Bob from Ladysmith, BC, are heading to Mazatlan too, arriving January 11 for a week to celebrate another friend’s birthday.  Mayaluga plans to arrive in Mazatlan around the 11^th so that we can enjoy another visit with friends.  Tony and I are both so looking forward to seeing Mayo and Bob again and catching up on the news from Vancouver Island.  With any luck, we’ll get out for a sail!