RELUCTANTLY LEAVING LA PAZ
After saying goodbye to the last of the group heading back to California and beyond, we took all the nice wine, trail mix etc. they gave us and wandered around like lost animals. Not really, but did move back down by the harbor and tried to find if there was someone that could work on our refrigerator. No luck, so decided to go back into the main part of town .....
We splurged at a wine bar run by a French man and enjoyed a glass of wine and then on then on to Marcos family restaurant, Cafe el Callejon to use their internet to upload stories and pictures.
Marcos was working and carnival was in full swing out on the malecon. By carnival, it was still mainly booths of things for sale, booths where you could try to win something, 5-7 different sound booths with music blaring and throngs of people moving up and down the avenue. We tried a snack called Huaraches del callejon- which is gordita like base with beef, guacamole, red sauce along with beans, cheese and cream. We split this and it was quite enough for the both of us!
The next morning we woke up and decided to head down to Todos Santos and see what would happen next since Cabo San Lucas, etc. is right on down that road. Went to the Pollo Shack for a whole chicken to make into several meals, tortilla shop for some of those delicious thin flour tortillas like we had on the whale watch tour and we were off to Todos Santos!
TODOS SANTOS
Got to Todos Santos, which looked much more tropical with many palm trees in its estuary, and drove through the small town. We had read in the guide book that artists and rich fold from Santa Fe, NM had moved there and were restoring buildings and building houses.... The town still has plenty of poor folks, dusty roads and rough edges, but it is quite interesting nonetheless.
We tried to find the beach that Bill and Meo had gone to with his brother and actually seen the whales rubbing on the sand close to shore. Not sure of where we were going, but, fortunately Robert has a good sense of direction, we found a beach near a lagoon about 4 miles out of town and went to look. Sure enough, there were the tell-tale spouts in the water. It was fun to watch them coming in so close and you could tell they were turning back and forth under the water. As it turned out this was probably not the one that Bill had told us about. We found it later....
We talked to Austin, a guy from Idaho, who happened to be on the beach loading his kayak, about the whales, surf, and things in general in Todos Santos. He told us he thought we would be fine camping right where we were close to a upscale subdivision with amazing fine houses and horses. We decided the ocean wind was too damp and decided to move to the Litros RV park we had found earlier.
Beachfront whales rubbing
As some people know, it is easy to fall into a very slooooooooooooow rhythm down here. We get up, have breakfast and suddenly find that half the day is gone! But that is not a worry, we have another day to try to get something done. We met another couple at the Litros Trailer Park who had walked over to the beach from the RV park and seen the whales. They gave us directions and we decided to give it a try the next day. Up early and we didn´t quite follow their directions when we got to the hotel and turned to the right and when down along the small stream feeding into the lagoon. I guess this was quite an adventure because we were not sure we were on the right path and then along comes a local with his dogs and leads the way!
Whale watching beach: Of course this is during whale season, but it is a beautiful beach anytime!
Directions from El Litre RV Park: Leave out the side gate and follow the signs to Posada along the road. When you get to the hotel, follow the signs toward the entrance and go where there are signs telling you peligrosa, etc. and then there is a footpath down to the water following on the left side of the lagoon. From there just walk along the beach and you will be seeing the whales.
Directions from town: As you are coming into town on road that goes past Hotel California, before Hotel California you will see Maya Real Estate on your left, turn right down street across from their building and follow it. It will take you on a winding road, stay left and you will see Baja Tiles, turn left right past their place. The road is narrow and goes along some fine homes, fields of vegetables growing, and will end up at the beach. There is a yellow building with some sort of pump going in it. We saw quite a few people using this spot, locals and rent cars.
The place we went the first day was down the same road where you turn at the Maya Real Estate but go past Baja Tiles until you see a sign Calle Los Caballos (picture of horse) turn left and follow down to the beach.
This is what I remember, the street name Calle Los Caballos is the best landmark for you.
We went to the beach four different days and enjoyed the antics of the whales. Some of them were quite close, you could hear them breathing, see them ¨spy hopping¨ (head out of the water) and see them actually rolling around on the pebbly sand.
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