Leaving La Paz

Short Version:
We almost buy nothing, fail to buy what we`d sought, and almost fail to leave town

Long Version:
We bought nothing at La Paz* except a stupendously delicious breakfast, despite the best
efforts of a number of vendors. They had some very cool public art along their seaside boardwalk, and a water park with hydroslides which made it onto our to-do-on-the-way-back list, and a Wal-Mart which we decided to visit in search of fuses for the van**. First, though, we happened to stop to let a Policia ute do a U-turn in front of us, and found ourselves outside a weaver's co-operative. So we entered, and wandered about, and got directions to the local Serpentario*** from a man with a significant tic, and left having purchased blankets, because that's what you need in places where the ambient temperature has been pushing past the 40-degree mark.

The Wal-Mart had no automotive fuses, but did have beer and wine and really good tequila, really cheap, all of which we purchased. Then back to the Reaper and onwards to Todos Santos!

Or not. In fact, it was onwards to a random back-street section of La Paz. And a retreat, to the enormous whale-tail monument near the Wal-Mart. Then onwards, to Todos Santos!

Or not.

It took us three attempts to get on the road out of La Paz. When we finally found it, we were bemused by just how close we`d been on our first attempt. Then we were bemused by the quality of the road - far and away the best we`d been on in Mexico.

Todos Santos was nothing like La Paz, which had proved to be a sprawling modern Mexican city. Rather, Todos Santos was a large Mexican town which had retained significant amounts of charm while availing itself of enough modernity to enhance the quality of life. We passed straight through on the way to the surf beach at Playa Cerritos, but not without resolving to return that night or in the morning to shop and eat delicious foods.

As it turned out, we returned that night, after a surf-swimming experience which wasn`t all we`d hoped; the surf was there, and we swam in it, but there were some grunty currents dragging us up and down the beach, and threatening to take us further out than we were
comfortable with. Kind of like Piha or Bethell`s on a grumpy day.

So back to Todos Santos we toddled, and after a wee bit of an explore we found ourselves checking in to the coolest hotel we'd seen since Bend: The Hotel California.








* = I REALLY wanted the enormous hammerhead shark for the roof of the van, but a) it
probably wouldn't have fit on the roof, let alone inside; b) it wasn't for sale; and c) possibly not the best way to avoid attracting attention from policia and military folks

** = Now named "The Reaper," by virtue of the insect harvest which now completely cakes the front end

*** = Snake and lizard showplace. We didn't go, yet - it's on the list.