MC Raven Ride Report 36 - Update from LaPaz

I’d hoped to spend 2-weeks here attending the Spanish Language school; Se Habla…LaPaz however, financial concerns raised their ugly heads.

First, I screwed up on the TVIP (Temporary Vehicle Import Permit). I’d thought to help speed the process along by filling out the forms and paying via the Banjericita website then, just pick up the permit here in La Paz. In the event, it didn’t work out that way. Turns out that they mail your TVIP to your home address (in my case, North Pole) and, the local Banjericita branch can’t cancel a TVIP – that can only be done when you check out of the country. So, I could ride all the way back to Tijuana, leave the country and cancel the TVIP then, get a new one or, get a new TVIP here (making two total) and cancel both when I leave Mexico. Unusual, and will probably cause delay as I leave but, saves a trip back to Tijuana. End result as far as finances go: another $360 US gone ($300 for the TVIP + $60 handling fee).

Since I’m so close and had the time, I decided to ride over to Todos Santos. Some say (though the Eagles haven’t ever confirmed it) that the Hotel California of Eagles song fame is the same Hotel California you find in Todos Santos. I had to see it. While there, and my back was turned for just a second, someone stole my brand new (2-weeks old) Garmin Zumo 660 GPS! I’d just paid $300 + $59 (for the Mexico mapset download) for that GPS! After such a short time, I’d really come to depend upon it to navigate my way around strange cities. Gone just like that! End result as far as finances go (Part II): another $360 US gone. My travel budget has taken a $720 US hit in one week from things I could have avoided if I’d taken more time to check things out and watched my stuff a little better! In the event, the Hotel California looked just like any other Baja hotel only with lots of cruise ship’s mini-tour buses parked in front.

Both those expenses ended up keeping me from taking a 2-week course (with room and board). I settled for a 1-week stay and wasn’t disappointed. Se Habla is a great school with an attentive professional staff and a facility that would blow your socks off! My host family, Bernardo and Hilda, made the stay absolutely perfect. Bernardo is a professional chef who’s trying to start a catering business here in La Paz. The food, included in the price of the homestay, was superb! Watching Bernardo and Hilda work together in the kitchen is like watching a ballet. Each moves from task to task without hindering the other. All the while there’s a continuous round of jokes, songs and banter. I tried to arrive 15-minutes before mealtimes just to watch the preparation process.

I'd gotten to LaPaz just in time for Dia de Muertes (1 November). Celebrated mostly in Mexico, here in LaPaz, the whole city turns out for the fun. Downtown at the Theatro were 2-nights of costume competition, Ballet Folklorico dancing and great street food. Myself and several other studentss from SeHabla went and had a great time.

One of the ways Mexicans celebrate Dia De Muertes is to make altars in their homes to help the passed family members travel to the other side. Called los Arcos, they always have the following four components representing Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Usually, Fire is represented by candles, Water is represented by either water or liquor (usually tequilla), Earth is represented by fruits and Air is represented by pierced paper (picada) that moves with the wind.

Also on these altars are mirrors, pictures of the loved one, special things that they loved: favorite foods, pictures of children/grandchildren, treasured possessions, etc.

At the Theatro, there were Arcos for other people too like the one in the picture for Frieda Kalo and my favorite the Arco for El Santo the great  Lucha Libre wrestler.

Along with the Arcos, there's the competition of the Catrinas. Catrinas came about as a way for the common people to mock the wealthy 1% during the early part of the 20th century.  Based on a political cartoon by (I think; Diego Rivera), Catrinas portray wealthy Mexicans wearing the latest Parisian fashion; except, these wealthy people are dead and skeletons. The message is that death is the great equalizer.

Anyway, people of all ages spend months perfecting their costumes for the competition. They parade around the grounds of the Theatro and the populace votes on who has the best costume. I've included a picture of my favorite. She was adorable. Imagine how much work went into that dress and hat. Many costumes were even more elaborate. I'm told that, often the winner is a man in drag.

My homestay family, Bernardo and Hilda were the best I could have asked for. Often times, as his schedule requires, Hilda's brother Pepe stays with them.  I feel like I really made friends in LaPaz. Hilda and I still text one another – she's following my journey via this blog too.
As it always is, it's tough to leave such wonderful people.