Visitors in LaPaz!

The day after arriving in La Paz we set out to have brunch with our friends. They had made arraignments at a local hotel and rented a car. We haven’t been in a car since leaving California. We walk out of the Marina and right onto the Malecon. Sharron gave me instructions to meet them at the white pier which I was certain was about half way down the Malecon. We seen it last night. Sam and I talk off. Walking right past the first white pier and down the Malecon until I noticed the pier I thought was white wasn’t the right one. Just then the location pinged and Sharron sends a text where are you?

Coming! We race back we go following our footsteps until I spy Sharron and Doug. Hugs and Greetings and big smiles. It is so good to see them I almost cry! We sit down for refreshments and visit. It is a nice long visit and the time passes fast. They come back to the boat to make plans for the rest of the week. The weather isn’t cooperating meaning the wind is up above 17 knots. When that happens the Capitan de Puerto closes the port. No one out. We may not get any sailing in with these two. That is a shame but we have an amazing city we are just eager to explore. 

We plan the next day of lazy coffee and pasteries and begin our walking around town. The Malecon is a great place to start your explorations of the city. One side lines the beach with a wide concrete sidewalk which is then lined with  park benches shaded by palm trees. The beach is a mix of palapas and palms and parks. Divided by the street a variety of shops line the other side. You can have a nice peaceful walk or you can cross the street to shop and eat. During the day we walk the Malecon until the sun gets to hot then we cross over to enjoy coffee and pastries. Countless hours of conversation and laughs while we walk around town finding all the wonderful murals adding loads of color to the buildings. Tacos and beers and fries with our salsa because Doug said paj  pas fritas instead of totopas. We ate them any way. 

Most of the time we walked everywhere we wanted to go. But sometimes we would get in the car and drive around. We would all be watching out for topas, which are deadly steep barely can see speed bumps that can obliterate your car if you hit it at more than a snails pace, and one way roads and stop signs. Doug was extremely patient with his back and side seat drivers. One of our drives Doug took us to get groceries. We needed everything and I was bound and determined to get anything that was heavy while we had access to a car. So we pilled the cart high with canned goods, drinks, liqueur, beer. We looked like we were having a party. We also looked a little like we were lushes too. If you have ever had to pack your groceries more than a mile several times you would try and by your years worth of liquids in one go too.  

It was a refreshing vacation walking the street looking and murals and chatting with our friends by day and then long meaningful conversations on the boat at night. They even invited us over to their hotel to enjoy the fresh water pool and lazily sip the afternoon away. Our souls were rejuvenated and we were finally able to truly relax since leaving Utah. We will hold dear our memories of Doug and Sharron visiting us in La Paz.