Baja Ports of Call

Our first and second ports of call were extraordinarily different from each
other.

Cabo San Lucas is a modern, tourist-driven city. Upon entering the bay, the
cruise ship passes numerous resorts as it makes its way past the
picturesque Los Arcos and into its resting place for the day in the bay.
From there we are required to take a tendor from the ship to the pier.

On the pier, we passed by beautiful yachts, a pirate ship, and a harbor
full of pleasure craft and fishing boats waiting in berths for their next
excursion. A swarm of locals met us at the pier and all along the
waterfront trying to sell us everything from cheap jewelry to the
opportunity to photograph a man with an Iguana on his shoulder. They are
relentless in their pursuit of your money.

It doesn't stop there. Waiters, hosts, and hostesses from the restaurants
along the waterfront call out to us as we pass in an attempt to lure us in
for a Corona cervesa or an authentic mexican meal.

Cabo San Lucas is a popular tourist spot made famous by celebrities who
vacationed there when it was the place to be seen. Sammie Haggar's club
Cabo Wabo is still one of the places to see while you are there.

The problem, as I see it, with Cabo San Lucas is that the prices reflect
this status as a tourist hot spot. Even haggling with the locals brought
prices to what I consider exhorbitant for what we were buying. They have
learned to price things very high and hope you tire before getting them
down to what they are really worth.

La Paz is to me what Cabo probably used to be. You dock at an industrial
pier at the Port of Pichilinque and a half hour shuttle bus ride is
required to get into the city proper.

There are a few resorts in La Paz, but mostly humble homes that we would
find in lower class neighborhoods in the states. Where a beachfront home in
Cabo San Lucas might bring in a millon and a half bucks, our tour guide
told us the same home in La Paz might be $350,000. But most homes were around $35,000.

The prices for goods are very reasonable. I purchased a hat in Cabo San
Lucas for what I thought was a good deal: $13. The same hat in La Paz was
only $10.

We visited a weaver's shop,in La Paz, where artisans spun wool, carded it,
dyed it, and then wove it into beautiful blankets, jackets, and ponchos on
traditional wooden weaving looms. The prices for these goods were far lower
than those we experienced in Cabo San Lucas for the same goods.

We also visited a family run potter's shop where they took clay from Oaxaca, formed it
into plates, mugs, pitchers, and other assorted items. Then they painted
them and fired them in the kiln. These beautiful items were only available
from this family run pottery plant and for very reasonable prices.

The rest of the day We walked around the local market where we saw stands
full of colorful vegetables next to stands full of poultry, beef, and fish
sorted into numerous different sized cuts. It was amazing. And of course we
had to visit the bakery where I devoured some Tres Leches and enjoyed some
fresh cookies with the wife.

We enjoyed our visits to both cities. Tomorrow, is a sea day where we take
a rest from the walking and sightseeing as our ship makes its way up to
Ensenada.