Well, it is definitely true what they say: setting a cruising schedule is futile. La Paz (Spanish for Peace) wasn’t even on our original agenda, but the more we heard about it, the more curious we became. Cut to one month, yes that’s right, one MONTH later and we are finally throwing off the dock lines and heading over to the mainland of Mexico.
La Paz
Pete says sometimes he feels like this guy.
La Paz is a charming seaside town and the capital of the state of Baja California Sur (Mexico has states just like the U.S.A.) Thankfully they’ve found the balance of embracing visitors without selling their soul to el diablo and turning everything into a tourist trap. 
The city has kept its charm and has an active town center with shops, markets, great restaurants, etc. And although it is on the water it isn’t chock full of mega beach resorts – kind of like the Florida Keys, better for water activities than lounging on the beach. There is a strong ex-pat boating community here that provides support and camaraderie. I’ve become addicted to their biweekly game of dominoes and we even shared an intimate pot luck Thanksgiving dinner with 300 of our closest new boating friends.
Night out with crew from Celebration and Ariel IV
Good lord we’ve even hosted and attended dinner parties, stayed out past midnight and made some great friends we hope to see again along the way.
Kilo of hot peppers anyone??
But it isn’t only about the gringos; we are fully embracing the city as a whole. It is great to hear Spanish spoken all the time and we are trying hard to learn. My problem is that I really get shy when it is time to speak. I understand a lot more than I can say and my vocabulary is building, but I just need to put the words together without sounding like an idiot. Practice, practice, practice and as David Sedaris says, “Me talk pretty one day.”
But, I will pat myself on the back for figuring out the bus system. I love a bus. To me it allows you to really see a city and its people. And sometimes 
getting lost is the best part. Being here for this long stretch has given us the opportunity to “live” here and has opened the window a bit on another culture, language, and community we were hoping for on this trip.
The Malecon
We are off to Isla Espíritu Santo, an island and National Park know for its marine life. Then we will embark on our 2 day crossing, across the Sea of Cortez to La Cruz on the mainland of Mexico.
Peace out…
Sailing on Neko 