Here’s a couple pictures of our group dinner. Marina Palmira cooked Turkey for 250 people and we all brought potluck side dishes. As you can see, the food was piled high. Fun, but as it was around 1530, it was HOT. We were all glad to retire after the dinner to our safety meeting at the end of the dock and cool off.
There’s a new “cool” place in town that for now is the hot, new cruiser’s hangout. It’s called The Shack. Run by an ex-pat American and his Mexican wife, they specialize in a kind of Burger/BBQ thing (Ann had a burger as you’ll see below and I had brisket that had been in the smoker for a day or two). They serve a roast pig on Sundays. Pretty informal as you’ll see by the pictures below. Their two young kids are running around while Travis cooks and Rosa waits tables. Marketing consists of Travis occasionally getting on the cruiser’s radio net in the morning (channel 22A at 0800) and announcing the pig roast or some other event. The night we were there, one of the guys (“Keen”) from the boat ShantiAna was playing guitar for tips. He wasn’t messing around either. He was awesome! We left him 50 pesos in the tip jar. Sounds like a lot, but the exchange rater means a little less than five bucks. As you’ll see in the picture below, we sat outside on the sidewalk by the curb where they set up a table for our group. The curbside diners had to be careful how far they kicked back their chairs. Too far and you’ll tip over and into the street. After dinner, Ann got a big fat, black marker pen and signed our names and boat name to the wall for all eternity-or at least until next time they paint it.
The sidewalk seating (and for that matter the restaurant interior) brings up the subject of building codes. There aren’t any that we can figure. Ya build it and if it doesn’t fall down or burn down, you’re good to go seems to be the rule. It’s so funny, yet practical how they deal with sidewalks for instance. More specifically; what to do when the building or house ground levels change as you walk. Need a smooth sidewalk? Not a chance. When there’s a change in elevation, which is almost every house or store, you just add a bunch of cement and make a platform to connect the sidewalk with the neighbor’s. Too steep? Add some steps. Still too steep? Get more cement and make the steps bigger. You really have to watch where you’re going or you could easily and suddenly drop six feet off the pavement as you walk down the street.
That would be the great market (Mercado) on Bravo street. At least it’s supposedly on Bravo street. We’re not completely sure as there are virtually no street signs in La Paz. Once in a while you see one and use that as the basis for “counting” streets to find where you’re going. “Cinco de Mayo street? OK, found a sign; Bravo is five streets down and four up” No signs between here and there.
Anyway, it’s a great market for fresh fish, meat, cheese and produce. Really fun to walk through and see the very strange (to us) cuts of meat, all the different fish stacked up on ice and bargain with the produce guys. There are usually at least three of each of the above, so it’s somewhat competitive, but in a friendly way. In one corner of the Mercado (it’s all in an open barn-like structure), there are also a couple of eateries. We had lunch in one the other day. Quite an experience. They don’t speak any English, so we use our best Spanglish and point a lot. Everyone smiles at and appreciates our attempts to speak Spanish and we all have fun! After we’re done, right outside is the Tortilleria for fresh, still warm tortillas. Yum!
Also, while on the subject of being in town; if you have ever wondered where old school busses go, wonder no longer. They are all in Mexico as you’ll see from the pictures below. Old school busses are the main mode of public transportation down here. Very cheap, very slow, but a cultural experience!
Every evening about 1730, we gather at the end of the dock to watch the sunset over a glass of our favorite beverage (of course for Ann and I, that would be a rum based “Charisma”). Since the Marina officially frowns on alcohol use and any types of “Lascivious Behavior” (it’s in our marina contract), we the cruisers present on the dock, have made this daily event our official dockside safety meeting. Any time a Marina employee comes down the dock wondering what the commotion is, we proudly announce that we are holding a safety meeting to prepare for natural and/or unnatural disasters. We then offer him a beer and all is well with the world. Here’re a few pics of just a few of our new friends at the Safety Meetings.
Just a quick post to say not too much going on right now. We've spent the days since Thanksgiving working on the boat. Four straight days of varnishing and painting. Well, interspersed with some wonderful evenings with our friends Bob, Deeanne, Richard and Cynthia as well as a bunch of other characters who have boats around here. We've started a tradition now of cocktails on the end of the dock to watch the sun set over La Paz Bay, looking for the green flash. No green flash yet, but lots of hilarity and camaraderie. After dinner, we have been known to be found up at the hotel pool playing Mexican Train until all hours. As long as we buy a drink or two, no-one seems to care that we're not staying in the hotel.
Bob spent yesterday recovering from the "Turistas". Not entirely sure what did it, but he spent 24 hours in bed (sort of). Better today and hopefully tomorrow we'll make it into town to post some more pictures and a few stories.
Ann's making her new signature dinner; pasta with basil, sun dried tomato with some green beans she found at the store yesterday. We don't see a lot of anything green, so buy it whenever it shows up.
That's it for now.
First off, Ann and I want to wish everyone the best on their Thanksgiving wherever they are having it. We know in our families this year, that includes Scotland, Texas, Colorado and La Paz (that’s us, duh). Down here, we’re having “dinner” (it’s at 3:30) with 250 of our closest friends. Like so many other cruiser events, it’s a come one, come all, potluck. Marina Palmira is cooking the Turkeys and everyone else brings the dressing, salads, side dishes and deserts (you have to remember to put your boat name on your serving ware so you’ll get it back after the chaos). At this moment (0830), Ann is making a cabbage salad from a recipe her sister Joan gave us. Cabbage is our new lettuce, since it lasts for weeks unrefrigerated whereas lettuce turns into a useless puddle of mush in short order. Anyway, great recipe (thank
you Joan); cabbage, red bell pepper, scallions, sesame, oil grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and Ann’s addition; toasted pinenuts. Yummy.
Lest everyone think we’re just goofing; we spent most of the
last two days doing boat work. One of the things on our list (the never ending boat project lists-more on that below) that had to be done was varnishing (actually Cetol for those of you who know). You just can’t wish that one away. After about one year the stuff will just start peeling off. The varnish waterproofs and protects the wood.
Charisma has a fair amount of wood trim. But it’s not as easy as just getting out a brush and can of Cetol. First you have to sand, then wash, then tape the surface to be varnished. So, Tuesday we spent about six hours sanding, washing and taping. Then Wednesday, I spent six hours straight, varnishing. It’s a one person job so Ann spent the time on some of the other misc boat projects and then walked into town for groceries (that’s a two hour round trip, plus carrying the bags back-we get a lot of exercise by not having a car). The six hours part is because once you dip the brush, you’re committed. You can’t
stop until you’re ready to quit for the day since the brush will harden if you stop and don’t wash it in thinner. OK, now all at once: “Poor Bob!”. Thank you.
That’s our new answer to; “what shall we do today”. Bob on Dos Leos uttered that when we were walking around town on another beautiful day wondering what to do first. It’s an embarrassment of riches. Go to the market and watch the vendors prepare their foods, get a delicious fish taco, walk the promenade down the wharf, stop in somewhere for a beer or just sit in the shade and people watch.
So, the final event of the "Ha Ha" was held at Stella's on the beach, on November 17th. Here's a couple pictures of the event.
Got into La Paz. Turned out the trip down the "dreaded" channel to the main anchorage wasn't so bad. The guide books either exagerated the danger of running aground, or the channel markers have gotten better. Anyway, we made it without incident. Deciding where to anchor was a little tougher. There were a lot of boats since we got there the day before the final Baja Ha Ha party on November 17th was held. From this point on most of the Ha Ha boats will be spread out. Some going South and some going back to their respective ports. (Many of us are keeping in touch on the radio nets in the morning. It's fun to hear from everyone and know where they are and when you might catch up with friends again. The radio nets are the cruising equivalent of Facebook!)
Ultimately, after some maneuvering around we found a decent spot to anchor right off the Malecon, which is the main street/area of downtown La Paz. A little noisy at night as we're only 100 yards from the restaurants and bars, but pretty fun to be anchored so close to the city and stunning views at night. (Last night there was a fashion show on the pier. Complete with music, a stage and ramp for the models. Very upscale and Ann had the best view in the house with our 14x binoculars. I got a running commentary of the event while I was cooking dinner.
This little taco stand has absolutely the best fish tacos ever. Lightly battered and fried. Not at all oily, just crisp and fresh. He puts them in a maize tortilla and then you choose which condiments you want from next to the cart. YUM! And, they are only 14 pesos each, which is about $1.40!
As with any big city, you have to watch the obvious stuff like locking the boat when you're away and securing the dinghy at night. There were three dinghies stolen in Cabo while we were all at the final awards ceremony. We've now learned to take down our "Baja Ha Ha" flags when going to one of the events since that makes it obvious that we're not in the boat. We also hoist the dinghy out of the water at night and lock it with a cable to the shrouds. You'd do the same if you were overnight in any other big city. Turns out the other advantage is the dinghy doesn't bang into the boat at night like it does in the water when the wind calms down, so we're doing this now even when out of town as it's quieter.