sombrero's and saguaro's

cactus in southern Baja grows as thick as aspens in colorado...cruising down highway 19, the proverbial strip of abandoned, desert road that one imagines of that old, mexican peninsula, i am dazzled by the vast sea of soft green prickly things. we've been chasing the sunset from the bay all the way across the desert and straight towards the pacific. our jeep devours the salt crusted,dry dust it kicks up from the rocky, unpaved road which we barrel down in hopes of finding the true path down the side of the mountain to reach some desolate beach with darkening turquoise waters...the sun has already dipped below our horizon, off to glow in some distant neighbors' eyes for another moment, and now those thick creeping cactus limbs stand out strong, like phallic fingers jutting out everywhere against the mellow sky, black and sharp like soldiers in the distance waiting for night's arrival.

mexico is very much a third world country, though in the midst of high end resorts and tourist appeal we often tend to overlook the strong dichotomy of the highs and lows of society. temples built to worship and and cater to the wealthy constructed directly adjacent to run down shantys inhabited by the poorest of the poor...there's beauty in even the darkest places though. children run through the streets with all the stray dogs, playing with their soccer balls or their favorite bicycles, families taking hours to share meals together in the warm breezes of a springtime evening...

baja is a breathtakingly beautiful place- the coastline marked with deserted beaches, rocky cliffs, small family haciendas selling a variety of carne asada and mariscos, and endless stretches of empty desert. la Paz is a relatively quiet city on the southern peninsula, much less oriented towards avid "spring break-ers" than the nearby cabo san lucas; however it has just as much to offer, especially for people willing and looking for a little off-the beaten-path adventure. the people are nice, running and walking down the malecon (the main street of town) during the sherbert colored sunsets eating their own ice cream creations and partaking in the generally slow, soft, warm personality of the city.

i see myself coming back to this place sometime later, for there's a couple coves that need to be explored still, and of course Pedro down at "Moyeyo's" needs to be visited for a plate of his best fresh ceviche covered in lime juice and fresh avocados..