Its the first time that ALCYONE spend so much time in the same anchorage, especially "downtown" as she is just a few hundred meters from the Malecon, the local "Croisette"Why ?

- LA PAZ propose an  allwind protection, not confortable with the famous "waltze":current and wind play with the anchored boats, but with a very good holding .

- The city has numerous facilities; this is new year holiday everywhere and we

need to wait for seals from FRANCE to  fix a small leak on the master hydraulic steering cylinder...

- There is no rush to sail more north during winter, the season of the strong n cool Northerns.

- This city is one of the most pleasant to live in particulary these conditions.

There is nothing extraordinary here...this is may be  why we found the place extraordinary !

LA PAZ lagoon escape the direct visit of the mega Cruise ships n the tourists mix much better with the locals here;

No beautiful historic monuments, but an authentic mexican city, a real colonial touch in a very special natural site. Nobody can understand if he does'nt walk in the shady and colorfull streets, cross these streets with the smiling and courteous stops of the local drivers, test a delicious and cheap arrachera in local market, (yes your place Augustino !), enjoy  a seaside promenade on the Malecon before a stop for a Margarita or a passion fruit sherbet...

We found in love with LA PAZ, a "tranquil city" as the locals name it;  this is not a surprise that the marinas are full and that you can find here one of the most active cruiser's community:  the"Club cruceros".

The smart MARINA DE LA PAZ, next door, propose to any boat a winning cocktail of services: a cheap daily 1 USD package including  safe dinghy docking+waste disposal+unlimited water. The best way to fill the place ...n all the other local buisness:   showers,  laundry, restaurants...

Like everywhere in the world, the possibility for cruisers to anchor for short time  very closed to the city heart is dying: The process is always the same: A cruiser arrive here n want to stay, he organize a permanent mooring in this best area and don't use his boat as a boat anymore but as a cheap home; if he find later a place in the city, he sell his boat very cheap to another guy...The boat has no light, no hull maintenance, but stay to this place as soon as there is a toilet n a bed inside as the yacht being scavenged on the picture later: From 10 years anchored in the lagoon, covers with oysters n inhabited until the last minute by a mexican bum...

Arrival in LA PAZ: Cargos and ferries must stay outside n don't enter in the 4 m long channel leading in the lagoon

We use the easy, cheap n smart dinghy dock of MARINA DE LA PAZ...

"Doctor Jeckyll side"of LA PAZ anchorage:  dinghy can also be landed on the Malecon's beach, next to the pangas,

the docked cruiseship in the background  has only a few dozens of cabins...

...leaving LA PAZ ...in peace !  Mega cruiseships must stay  in PICHILINGUE a few miles more north

With this quiet weather, let's have a morning walk on the Malecon !

There are still many dirt street in LA PAZ but the promenade is immaculate

elegant n selective garbage cans...no terrorism here...

This bronze is whale shark, a specie visiting now LA PAZ outside shore

"FUENTE"! this tiny n busy shop is a local institution for ice creams

...but sometimes in winter LA PAZ shows the "Mr Hyde side": 30k of N wind, landing could be a pretty wet process.

...and you better stay be on board even sometimes it's not sufficient...

The fetch is long... we had to board n re-anchor a monohull: she was drifting on the fleet with nobody on board !

Some effect from this fierce northern are also visible on shore.

Walking through the streets of the shady center LA PAZ in winter is very nice...

...even decaying, basic colonial building keep the charm...

this old style farmer shop propose unusual products...

...This "devil" shop manage to use the endemic symbol...

..

.when church nearby propose shaddy trees for redemption

How delicate details are hidden behind this door ?

...Augustino restaurant in mercado BRAVO best ratio quality/price founded in LA PAZ!

We see A lot of works to make this 200 000+ inhabitants city cleaner, greener...

Water is clear: daily  tides seems to operate like a huge flush; active cruisers community give a strong ecological sense

shared by locals as I see it during this abandonned yacht scavenging operation...

LA PAZ  still has the choice to preserve a low profile center unic in the world aside the Malecon...

...cleaning and keeping alive the old colonial walls, to be a world gem...

or building high multifloor complex as Marina Cortez or... this masterpiece.

but money talks in MEXICO...and you better visit  LA PAZ very soon...before it's look like CABOS SAN LUCAS !

The huge lagoon will always offer in LA PAZ a space to drop anchor !