La Ventana Visit

November 26

Martine drove in to town for a little shopping and a change of scene. We didn’t find much to buy besides avocados and salsa ingredients, but it was fun to look round the markets. We had a good browse among the cowboy boots and sandals. Leather is big here. At dusk she cautiously drove Charlie and me to La Ventana. It’s about an hour’s drive and somewhat dangerous to do at night as black cows and horses may wander out onto the road.

Dodging all livestock we ended up at their white adobe casita, watched Fred make vast quantities of guacamole, played games and eventually, with the assistance of a case or two of Pacifico, entered into Mohawk Mania. A couple of nights before one of the guys had had his hair shorn and now Andrew and Fred decided to go for it. Kling did the honors for both, with Fred hoping that he would not look too awful for his work trip to Disney next week. After all, Kling is the Synapse team leader. See before and after shots. There was a later exercising of the clipper when Fred shaved Kling and Kling removed Fred’s remaining tufts. Though it was painful to watch, the padres kept their own counsel, I’m happy to say.

November 27-28

On Sunday after a swim we planned to take the bus back. However by asking at a local cafe, we found the transit website was out of date: no 1 pm bus. Thus was our visit extended. Mid-afternoon the wind finally came up affording us a chance to watch the boys kiteboard.

We caught the 7 am bus the next day, a schoolbus with no springs, for a painful hour’s ride. By the daylight we could observe the sandy dry landscape. Everything that grows there has thorns! I don’t see how cattle survive in the cactus forests of this part of Baja.

Back in La Paz we were welcomed by this cautionary Muerto at the Perla Hotel restaurant.

We also found a faux Starbucks, La Paz style, apparently beyond the corporate reach of Howard Schultz.