Sunday in La Paz

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February 17 – Sunday – La Paz – Its very noisy here at the Pension California. I am at the computer desk in the lobby of the Pension California. Coming out of room 25 to my left is the noise of a TV on Mexican programming at Maximum volume. To my right coming through the front door is Loud Mexican music coming from a place across the street. I have earplugs in, which blocks out some of the noise.

Last night till 4 AM I was entertained by the nightclub across the street playing Mexican music at maximum volume as well. The music had to go through the walls of the nightclub, across the street. Through the door and walls of the Hotel and up the hall and through the walls of my room. Not a problem. I really don’t know how the people who are in the nightclub can stand it.

In any case while I accomplished my intention of checking out the Pension California I actually contemplated moving back to the Hotel Yeneka for tonight and making sure I got an upstairs room. I would just take a loss on having paid for the room here tonight. But the thought of loading up all my stuff and dragging that suitcase etc. over there deterred me. Dragging it over to the bus station tomorrow is enough to suit me.

I dug out my earplugs and they block out a little of the noise here. The earplugs weren’t up to the job though so I had to take them out again and put in my earphones and listen to easy listening music from my computer to block out the noise. I think this place would be OK for college students and backpackers on a very limited budget but I don’t think it works well for anyone over 20 or someone such as me who actually could afford to stay elsewhere.

I didn’t have the rooster to wake me up this morning here. That service was provided by a girl pounding on the door of the room across the hall and saying she knew “Maria” was in there and the guy shouting back that “Maria is not in here”. After she pounded a bit and he kept saying Maria was not in there he let her in and then after a bit I was entertained by their lovemaking noises for a while.

Nothing like living life nearest the bone…….

Today the plan is to round out my time here in La Paz by catching up on my blog, checking out the schedule of the buses from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas tomorrow, getting money from the ATM so I will have cash for the remainder of my trip, and taking a walk to the end of the Malecon and back.

It is a beautiful day for a walk.

So after typing and saving the above text I put away my computer and went out the door and towards the Malecon. The roads approaching the Malecon were blocked off by the police and there were all kinds of venues selling the usual stuff in both directions. I went to the bus station and checked the schedule for tomorrow and they have a bus leaving on the hour from 5AM to 9PM. The trip takes 3 hours and cost M$210($16 US).

After checking out the bus schedules I went left out the door and along the Malecon checking out the stands and view till I got to the Marina and then a bit further for good measure. I came across a restaurant called Super Burro and decided to try one out. I got an asada and queso Super Burro (Beef and cheese). It was quite a good size and took care of lunch and dinner for today.

After eating I walked back down the Malecon and found a good place to sit in the shade for a bit and let my food digest a bit. Then I walked down again till I got where the grandstands were at. There was a puppet show going on for the kids. I looked around a bit and then walked up 16^th Septiembre to a crenelated tower I had seen from the Malecon just to see what it was. It turned out to be the Tourist Information Center for La Paz.

The tourist information center in La Paz is about a block up 16 de Septiembre from the Malecon at B. Dominguez street. It is directly underneath the crenelated tower. Across the street from the tourist center is a nice hotel I came across. It is called the Hotel Posada San Miguel. I checked their rate since I am always doing homework this trip preparing for the next time if I return. It was M$250(US 19.70) for one person (which is the same as for the Pension California) and I had them let me look at the room I would have rented if I had stayed. It was very nice and I wish I had known about this hotel when I came here. It would have certainly been my choice, and they have WIFI. It was a very nice hotel with an excellent location only a block from the Malecon.

So by now having walked enough for one day to suit me I eased back to the Pension California and caught up my blog.

I have already reserved my upstairs room at the Cabo Inn in Cabo San Lucas and will stay there Monday and Tuesday and fly back to Tejas on Wednesday.

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Photos

Hotel Posada San Miguel
Nice little hotel at 16 de September y B. Dominguez

Interior of Hotel Posada San Miguel
The picture is a little out of focus but gives you an idea of what it looks like

Tourist Information Center
The tourist information center is at the bottom of the tower at 16 de Septiembre y B. Dominguez

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

We need quiet at night
Balancing a budget and getting some sleep can be a tough process on the road. For us the quiet night always beats the budget.

[Sojourner1208]

it's the challenge
To me it's not so much about staying within a budget as it is about the challenge of living a bit closer to the bone for the experience of it. The Pension California was a bit of a trial but I wanted to check it out to satisfy my curiosity. And curiosity is what made the cats life interesting. The Yeneka and the Cabo Inn really had some interesting people staying there that were fun. So two out of 3 isn't bad. : )