Exploring La Paz

It had taken nearly two weeks but we seemed finally to be adjusting to the time difference here! We slept a bit later than we had been doing and when we got up I took advantage of the coffee machine in our room at the Posada de las Flores to make myself a cup to enjoy while getting ready for the day. Just as well, as the coffee at breakfast (served in the pretty courtyard) was very weak! Mexican hotels seem to cater for US tastes in coffee, unfortunately. However the rest of the breakfast was great – fresh fruit, granola and yoghurt, followed by cheesy quesadillas.

We'd decided to forego the planned boat trip to Espiritu Santo Island in favour of a more chilled day around town. Neither of us are keen snorkellers (I enjoy it in theory but sometimes struggle to manage the mask etc.) and we have two more boat trips planned for later in the week. The hotel manager (?) kindly called the company on our behalf to cancel.

Instead we spent much of the day on a leisurely wander around La Paz. We started with a walk along the sea front or Malecón, photographing the many sculptures all themed around the sea, and the pelicans and other seabirds.

Seabirds near the Malecón

We then turned inland a few blocks in search of street art, which we found, as well as a great coffee in a little café/art gallery.

We reached the Jardin Velasco with its shady palm trees. On one side is the Museo de Arte de Baja California Sur, in an attractive building facing the cathedral across the square.

It was free to enter although we were only allowed to take photos with our phones. I found a lot to enjoy among the different artists exhibiting, most of all a huge mural by Victor Cauduro called The Color of Time, with four sections themed around periods of the region’s history.

Afterwards we popped inside the cathedral which is relatively plain but had some interesting touches.

We then spotted an attractive shop featuring arts and crafts by local artists and others from elsewhere in Mexico. The owner was friendly, and I couldn’t resist buying a little glass hummingbird which reminded me of those we'd seen at the Mirador Hotel. She wrapped it really carefully in layers of tissue paper and we just had to hope it would get home in one piece (we did!)

After this we sought out an ATM before getting ice cream at La Michoacana on the sea front, which was very good.

We looped around a few more streets, taking in some craft stalls (nothing appealed however). We then walked back to the hotel along the Malecón, taking more photos of pelicans, boats and other scenes. By the time we got back I was ready for a rest!

We spent part of the afternoon enjoying a cold drink in the hotel’s roof terrace with great views of the sea and passing frigate birds. In the evening we had dinner at Tailhunters, a sea front bar a few blocks away. We enjoyed the view of all the activity on the Malecon from our upstairs seating, the reggae music and the food (burger for Chris, fish tacos for me), though the portions were really too big!