New Year’s Eve day started with our docking at La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur. After breakfast we took to beautiful motor coaches, our shore side transportation to Todos Santos. A small town designated as “Pueblo Magico” it is actually an oasis on the Baja California Peninsula. Underground water is naturally channeled from the Sierra Laguna Mountains nearby.
Along the way, our local guides told us of the history of the indigenous peoples of the southern peninsula, the Pericu and the Guaycura. Just as they had walking routes across the peninsula, so did we follow the modern four-lane Highway 19 to this lovely little oasis that has been inhabited by Europeans since the 1730s. The town sits on a low plateau with sierra foothills on the horizon and the underground stream provides irrigation to dozens of fruit orchards. A year-round colony of surfers, organic farmers, and artists have found Todos Santos a perfect place to follow their independent pursuits.
A visit to the mission church, local cultural museum, several art galleries, and local shops connected us to the culture of the current inhabitants here. An absolutely wonderful lunch at Café Santa Fe capped our magical visit to this magical place.
After returning to our ship in La Paz, we were entertained by a quartet of musicians as we enjoyed cocktails on the sundeck. Then the children had a piñata that proved quite challenging to overcome. But finally it gave way to an overflowing of treats for the young in the traditional Mexican way.
The evening, and indeed the year 2014, concluded with National Geographic Sea Bird pausing in her travels to celebrate the New Year with guests on the foredeck at the bow. The eldest amongst us rang out the year on the ship’s bell, and then the youngest rang in the New Year 2015 with great enthusiasm, cheers from the assembled and a special toast for good travels, good health and good friends for the New Year!
