Living It Up at the Pension California ~ Derek's Travels

"such a lovely place...." Well, I don't know if I'd say lovely, but it's alright.

On my bus ride to La Paz, I actually passed through the town of Todos Santos, in which the true Hotel California that inspired the Eagles song is located. The bus was surprisingly comfortable, as I listened to some music on my iPod, mostly Calexico, Iron and Wine and Romantica, all calming music with a hint of Mexican influence, fitting nicely with the passing desert scenery. Unfortunately, my solitude was soon interrupted by the loud movie playing on the tvs of the bus. I could tell by the previews of a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie and two others that I'd never heard of that this wasn't going to be a good one. Despite only the tiniest shred of interest in the lame action/murder/mystery movie, I was drawn in by the speaker booming just above my head. We made a few quick stops which offered a break from the loud speakers, and we soon arrived in La Paz. A medium sized town of 150,000 to 200,000 people, it is much less touristy and more authentic than Cabo, hence my desire to visit. I grabbed my backpacks and got off the bus, heading for the waterfront to see what the town had to offer. A decent beach fronts the entire town with attractive, somewhat cheesy storefronts and a pleasant boardwalk stretching for a few miles. Still in the midday heat, I hurried to find a place to stay for the night. Thanks to my travel book, I soon spotted the blue and yellow paint of the cement structure with the fading words of Pension California across the front. At only about $14 a night, I couldn't go wrong. I got my key, headed down the open roofed hallway, opened the padlock and found a simple, pleasant room inside. Two twin beds on concrete platforms along with a built-in bathroom was all that I would need. The bathroom was a bit odd, though, a tiny closet like spot with a sink, toilet and showerhead all shoved into the tight space. There's no shower curtain or anything, just a showerhead above the middle of the room and a drain on the floor, so in effect, I guess you could be using the toilet, brushing your teeth and taking a shower, all at the same time.

So, I dropped off my big bag and headed back towards the water to see more of the town. I scoped out a few potential Spanish language schools that I may attend for a week or two to brush up on my skills and then got back to the boardwalk in time for dinner. Despite thinking that a waterfront place might be overpriced, I checked Palapa Adriana and found one of my best dinners in a long time. The small hut featured a few tables inside and four tables out on the deck, about 20 yards from the water, right on the beach. As the waitress brought out my shredded beef burritos, browned tortillas from the grill and silver platters of salsa, pico de gallo and cheese sauce, I realized that this meal had potential. She placed them all on the colorful table and let me alone with one other table of locals and the colors of the evening. The huge orange sun had just made its way out of the clouds and began to set over the horizon. Not wanting to miss the moment, I got up from the table for a few pictures and then returned to the peaceful setting. In the background, the radio played traditional mariachi tunes, adding to the serenity of this idyllic Mexican experience. The water and sand just steps away, the sky yielding shades of orange and blue, mouth-watering, spicy food in front of me...it was a moment that I won't soon forget.

After dinner, I walked along the popular boardwalk, stopping to watch games of volleyball and observing all that the vendors had to offer, carrying handfuls of balloons, games for the children, light sabers and much more. It was a Saturday night, and it seemed that the whole town was there by the water, celebrating the peaceful day and warm night. Young and old alike passed by me, hand in hand. Little children ran in circles and screamed in delight as they chased each other, intermittently begging their parents to buy them this toy or that. I found a nice spot on the bench and just observed the scene, treasuring the night. Eventually, I made my way back to my hotel and fell asleep. Apparently, I was a little behind on sleep thanks to my loud stay in Cabo, so I ended up sleeping on and off for most of the next day. I did manage to get up and eat some fish tacos and quesadillas from the street vendor just outside the hotel, and I even got a Mexican haircut for about $4.50, including tip, so I can't complain about that. Tomorrow, I have to decide if I'll stay here a while and take Spanish classes, or if I'll head out on my way. There's not a ton of stuff to do in this town, but that's a nice feeling sometimes. We'll see.