La Paz, BCS, Mexico.
It is hard to believe that the end of November is upon us. We think of you often and our conversations are enriched with memories and stories of times spent with you. As the holidays approach, we hope that you are looking forward to wonderful plans and feasts.
The weather here is cooling and is imbued with Northers that blow and blow and blow and blow (20 to 35 and sometimes up to 40 knots) leaving us feeling quite content to remain "on the hard" for the moment and not in the rocking and roiling sea. It is definitely time to head south to warmer and more friendly climes and we are hoping to be able to get the last few major tasks done and be on our way within the next couple of weeks.
Just the other day, we developed a couple of rolls of film including photographs of our road trip south through Baja. What a stormy venture that was -- a turbulent mix of scenes of unprecedented (for Baja) hurricane damage, uncertain weather reports and Bajanian rumors over the potential of two more hurricanes hitting landfall along our way. As we looked over our photographs, it was hard to tell that we had left Humboldt County -- except, of course, for the fact that the greenery coloring the landscape was cacti and not redwoods and ferns.
It is hard to believe that that trip was a month-and-a-half ago. We now find ourselves a bit more settled into life in La Paz. Steve has found the absolute best way to navigate the streets here -- via the "wash road" which is definitely set up for locals and not for tourists. It has no road signs, little traffic and almost no stopping for traffic control. In addition to the "wash road," we have a short list of favorite streets that we know have few or little traffic stops and can get us to whatever our destination in quick time. Our trips to town, now, almost always include a trip for some Jalisco style beef stew and a copy of the local English-language newspaper. Still, in spite of our hard-won skills, town trips that would take an hour in the states are never completed as planned (or, more honestly, as hoped for) and can take at least three hours to complete and/or given up for lost. Shops are small by US-standards and are very specialized and are often found in common block size areas. So if we have a list including groceries, beer, engine and boat items, we are looking at having to make at least six to ten different stops running a maze of crowded narrow streets filled with people that -- Steve is fond of pointing out -- "just got a car a few years ago and have never been taught to drive." Oh, and we best not forget that siesta is from 1 to 3pm for which shops close for business -- I can't count the number of times of I have been reminded of siesta as I gazed longingly at items on our list through the shaded glass of locked store doors.
Yet life in La Paz takes no notice of these missteps. Any hard-edged frustration drawn from the experience and expectation of a life lived in the states, falls upon deaf ears. Life is quite simply good. Our days are blessed with a breeze and the kiss of the sunÖand graced with love. Our life is good and true here...and we can think of no better way to send our message on to you than from the heart and to bid you adieu in the Costa Rican fashion...
Pura Vida (pure life).
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