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LA PAZ |
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Everyone ends up in LA PAZ eventually, if only to get the ferry out,
and it seems that most of the population of Baja California Sur is
gravitating here, too. The outskirts are an ugly sprawl, their
development outpacing the spread of paved roads and facilities. But the
town centre, modernized as it is, has managed to preserve something of
its quiet colonial atmosphere. You can stroll along the waterfront
malecón, and for once the beach in town looks inviting enough to swim
from - though there are no guarantees on the cleanliness of the water.
The Bay of La Paz was explored by Cortes himself in the first years
after the Conquest - drawn, as always, by tales of great wealth - but he
found little to interest him and, despite successive expeditions, at
first merely rapacious, later missionary, La Paz wasn't permanently
settled until the end of the eighteenth century. It grew rapidly,
however, thanks to the riches of the surrounding sea, and above all as a
pearl-fishing centre. American troops occupied the town during the Texan
war, and six years later it was again invaded, by William Walker in one
of his many attempts to carve himself out a Central American kingdom; by
this time it was already capital of the territory of California. The
pearl trade has pretty much dried up - a mystery disease wiped out most
of the oysters - but since the 1960s La Paz has continued to boom,
buoyed up by tourists at first flown in, then boosted by the growing
ferry service, and now supplemented by the hordes pouring down Hwy-1.
The best time to visit is from November to May, as summers can be
unbearably hot. During the last week in February La Paz holds its
carnival , with colourful parades and cultural events transforming the
town.
The Town and around
There's not a great deal to see in La Paz itself and if you're staying
for any length of time you should head for the beaches. If you're just
hanging around waiting for a ferry, however, you can happily fill a day
window-shopping in the centre - hundreds |
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