Baja Ferries, La Paz

La Paz

Welcome to Paradise". This oft used greeting is in danger of becoming redundant after it is repeated a dozen times by a dozen different North Americans in a dozen different gringo communities across Mexico. The fact that it is used so often instead of the usual "hello", "hi" or "hola", stresses the fact that for many expatriates their particular corner of Mexico is their own piece of "paradise".

The phrase immediately crossed my mind as I beheld the glorious sight of the sun setting on the tranquil waters of La Paz Bay. Ironically, it was the one place I had never heard the phrase used! I have come to my own conclusions as to why this is and they add up to why La Paz is different from other gringo retirement and holiday destinations.

It is a quiet place. Perhaps living in a city called La Paz (literally "The Peace") means foreigners attracted by its relative isolation and relaxed atmosphere are more reserved individuals. By their very nature they are less likely to use this somewhat boastful phrase than fellow compatriots who chose more dynamic destinations. Certainly, La Paz still has a relatively small expatriate community but, as coastal property disappears around Los Cabos and prices there became prohibitive for many, the city has suddenly taken off. The few hundred gringos who quietly lived here are now being joined by hundreds of newcomers.

These newcomers are merely the vanguard of thousands more expatriates who are buying into the many new developments around the bay. Old timers always said La Paz's climate was too hot for the city to take off as a popular gringo destination. Situated on the Sea of Cortez it misses out on the cooling Pacific Ocean breezes which is paticularly evident over the long hot and humid summer months. But the demand for waterfront and the beauty of the bay has overcome any climatic concerns and La Paz is booming. Realtors and developers alike are primarily targetting Californians just as they did so successfully 10 to 15 years ago when they were promoting Los Cabos.

Unlike Los Cabos and most other Mexican cities that host an expatriate community, La Paz (along with Mazatlan) stands out as a very Mexican city. In La Paz the new tourist areas are either on the fringes of the city or on the north shore of La Paz Bay. In the city itself the malecon (waterfront) with its popular bars and restaurants is the one area where foreigners congregate -but then so does everybody else!

I finally decided that La Paz, content with the prosperity enjoyed by being both the administrative and business capital of the state of Baja California Sur, has never really promoted itself as a retirement destination. Entrepreneurs, however, recognised it as the natural extension of the gringo invasion of the southern Cape and so bought land on which to develop customized condo projects and gated communities. Up until 2005 foreigners wishing to reside here built or bought properties within existing residential areas and, as a result, foreigners have, up until now, always blended in with the city's daily routine by living, working, shopping and playing side by-side with their Mexican neighbours. Even La Paz's relatively small tourist population barely make an impact on La Paz's social scene because much of La Paz's attraction as a tourist destination is not on land but on a multitude of activities based on, or in, the surrounding waters. This means most of the tourists leave early each morning for an often physically demanding day on the water and consequently have little energy left over for the late night revelries so popular among tourists in other resorts.

Even with the new developments so evident, the city's appeal can be summed up as follows: peaceful, safe and friendly. Now one could add two new words.........'getting pricey'.