BAJA SUR

Here we are, Loreto, founded in 1697 and considered ¨Capital of the Californias¨ until it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1828. A very historic day to be in a place with such history, the picture above was taken on Mexico´s Independence Day, September the 16th. We arrived to clouds overhead, and only 15 minutes after checking into a cheap hotel, a deluge quickly flooded the streets. Soon after, we braved to muddy waters of the streets in search of cheap seafood, Loreto being a coastal city. In the picture, you can see just how treacherous these streets can be not only for drivers (the SUV on the right is getting doused by the passing truck), but for pedestrians, who can get drenched by cars going by. The old mission in the background is adjacent to the plaza area, which was decorated with the colors of red, white, and green from the fiesta the night before. There is still a great feeling of isolation, even in this somewhat developed city (it has only the third stoplight we have seen in Baja). Indeed, while the conquitador Cortez had taken control of all of central and southern Mexico within three years of his arrival in 1519, it was another century and a half before Loreto would be established.

Today, we are continuing south with the hopes of making it to La Paz or even Todos Santos further south, but we may inevitably settle for another night on the beach more closeby. Check back soon for another post before we hop the ferry from La Paz to the mainland.