La Paz (Mexico) | Which Way Does the Wind Blow - Day 6

The Malecon, the boardwalk in La Paz, was built in the 1920s and parallels La Paz Bay. In this picture, the tide is low, and several moored boats are temporarily beached.

Walking along the Malecon this morning, I spot a lone kite surfer on the bay. It takes me about 10 minutes of walking to reach his location. I sit on the edge of the Malecon and watch. This is the first time I can observe a kite surfer up close. First, I study how he manipulates the bar slide to affect the shape and direction of the kite. Then I focus my attention on his core and how he uses the board or, more specifically, how the tension on the kite manipulates him.

I know that kite surfing is a highly technical sport and has a steep learning curve. Watching the surfer go back and forth across the bay to and from shore makes me realize this could be very difficult to learn. I continue observing for another 20 minutes. The surfer battles the wind. Sometimes he is able to tame it. Other times, it tames him. I watch him take flight and gently land. Wow, is that cool! Finally, I move on. I have learned a great deal this morning.

The view from the west side of the Malecon is quite stunning. I am impressed with La Paz so far. It has a laid-back vibe. I spend the rest of the day wandering thru the city center. 

When I return to the hostel, Emily, who is also from Canada but has been traveling for several years, says, "If you are looking for a place to eat lunch, Nomada downtown is fantastic! It's all organic too." That's my type of place! 

I take time to research the details of learning to kite surf. First, I will need to travel to La Ventana. That is where all the kite surfing schools are. Second, three days of kite surfing costs around $900 USD for instruction and gear. Third, La Ventana is a difficult place to learn kite surfing. The winds are powerful, and the water is deep. And fourth, kite surfing has a high start-up cost. Purchasing my equipment in the future would cost me somewhere between $3,000-$5,000 USD. 

I would be better off postponing my desire to learn now. Although there are many places I could learn, maybe this isn't the best place to learn? 

So I head back out for lunch, pondering other activities I can do. When I reach Nomada, I order a freshly squeezed ginger lemonade and a quinoa bowl with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, chickpeas, onions, and feta cheese. I didn't expect to find this in Mexico! The sign outside the door says, "We prepare slow food here!" It makes me laugh and feel good that the pace of serving food is slower here. Mexicans also implement the North American food service approach, bringing food out quickly and flipping tables multiple times per night.

I choose to stay in a hostel in La Paz to allow me more flexibility and to meet fellow travelers. Hostels are an excellent way to quickly pick up the ins and outs of places, such as do's and don'ts, or businesses to experience. In addition, this hostel offers Whale Shark tours. This is a 3-hour excursion where we can swim with Whale Sharks. La Paz is one of the few places in the world where I can do this, and it is unique to La Paz in Baja. 

Other options available to me include additional whale-watching tours. For example, Grey Whales can be observed near Magdelena Bay along the Pacific Ocean. Grey Whales are unique in that they expect to be petted by observers, and frequently, if they approach a boat and are not touched by humans, they swim away. Near Loreto, Blue Whales, Fin Whales, and Humpies can be observed. And the snorkeling near Loreto is fantastic!

So, when I return to lunch, I start picking other travelers' brains. Emily tells me that I can do a whale shark tour in La Paz for 1,100 Pesos ($61 USD). That has a lot of appeals. Kevin (from Germany) gives me the details of his Grey Whale experience at San Ignacio Lagoon. A quick check tells me it is 8.5 hours away. But Alizée (France) shares with me that she has been looking at Magdelena Bay which is < half that distance and can easily be attained from Loreto. Ashtyn (New Mexico) says he had a great time in Todos Santos and has baby sea turtles walk over her feet on the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Lots of information and great ideas are coming together. I love this kind of synergistic energy. Everyone is trying to help each other and working towards a common goal. There is something beautiful about this creative process. This is how new ideas are born, and some of my unique experiences comes together. 

Why can't people come together in this fashion every day?