livewires
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Heading to La Paz next Fall
Good afternoon,
I'm looking at visiting La Paz for an extended period of time this next fall and am wanting as much information as I can possibly get regarding places
to stay, surrounding areas and any information that can be helpful. Thanks in advance.
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Cliffy
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Driving in La Paz is combat driving.
Every street has pot holes the size of a VW - 100s of them
Most every intersection is a 4 way stop sign type BUT those red signs are only a suggestion to the locals YOU need to stop completely at each one.
Make sure your phone and road map app works there as the roads are confusing That's how I found my way out to go back to Cabo
There is good food on the beach front but accommodations? You are on your own.
You chose your position in life today by what YOU did yesterday
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surabi
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Scroll a bit down this Question and Answer section- there is an entire thread on La Paz hotels. You could also peruse Airbnb ads for accommodation,
although you don't say how long you mean by "extended stay". It's usually best to book a hotel or Airbnb (VRBO, whatever) for maybe a week for when
you first get there, then scout around, boots on the ground, if you are looking more for a place you could rent for several months.
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JZ
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Video I shot of the islands.
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4x4abc
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Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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so beautiful when you are the only boat. Now it is about a dozen boats going in each direction.
At Los Islotes where the sea lions are, boats have to wait in line before they can let their swimmers into the water.
Harald Pietschmann
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Alan
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Posts: 1626
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy  | Driving in La Paz is combat driving.
Every street has pot holes the size of a VW - 100s of them
Most every intersection is a 4 way stop sign type BUT those red signs are only a suggestion to the locals YOU need to stop completely at each one.
Make sure your phone and road map app works there as the roads are confusing That's how I found my way out to go back to Cabo
There is good food on the beach front but accommodations? You are on your own.
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There was once a time I would have agreed with you, but I have come to view driving in La Paz as more of an
art form and one that I am constantly impressed by. Primarily, because it just works.
For visitors and recent residents I can provide some guidance;
STOP SIGNS:
Yes, for many locals these have become something of a suggestion. I however recommend stopping at them always, especially as Christmas approaches
when the local constabulary are focusing on their Christmas bonuses. When stopping, use your brake pedal/lights to make it very clear to the car
behind you that you are in fact intending to stop.
Stop signs are not always apparent. As you approach an intersection, begin looking for the largest most obstructing tree. You can often find the stop
sign nestled within its branches.
Not all stop signs in La Paz have stood the test of time. There are a few intersections that have had the stop sign knocked down as a result of
storms, vandals or drunks. This does not relieve you of the responsibility of stopping at them. 
ONE-WAY STREETS
Yes, one-way streets abound in La Paz and many intersections are not always marked to indicate direction of flow. Before committing to any turn, look
in your intended direction at the parked cars. Are you seeing a majority of headlights or taillights? If the traffic flow is not going in the
direction you want, the next intersection will, so seize every opportunity of marked streets to reorient yourself. Consider that this minimal signage
serves to improve your situational awareness.
POTHOLES:
These are inevitable, particularly during and following the rainy season. The plus side is that these are usually marked. Not necessarily with orange
traffic cones or folding caution signs but they are usually marked, nonetheless. Look for discarded tires, 55 gal. drums or even tree branches in the
roadway and when traffic permits simple steer around them.
POLICIA
Avoid making direct eye contact. This was suggested to me many years ago and this guidance has served me well over the years. Some cops, on both sides
of the border, can interpret this as a challenge and will pull you over just as a demonstration that they can. This is even more effective in La Paz
where the majority of the Policia are beat cops on foot who depend on a whistle to pull you over. If they can't get your attention, they can't very
well signal you to pull over.
For most NOB I know this seems frustrating, but you must remember that my property taxes are 1/100th of what I pay in the States, and that is even
before my 40% discount for early payment. I challenge you when you have the chance to just sit back and watch the traffic flow. Given their limited
resources I think you will come to realize they do a very good job of taking what they have and making it work.
P.S.
Most food on the beachfront (malecon) is adequate. Venture off the malecon a couple streets to Madero or Revolucion for great food.
In Memory of E-57
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David K
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Don't make it about the destination... make it about the journey.
Too much is missed in a hurry to get to La Paz or Cabo...
There are cities in America, but Baja (between the cities) is found nowhere else in the world!
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AKgringo
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Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Eye contact with other drivers....
La Paz drivers maximize their peripheral vision at intersections. If they see you looking at them, you have lost the right of way!
A La Paz policeman on a motorcycle pulled me over for driving through a yellow light. In an exchange of Spanglish, he told me that yellow means stop,
and that red means "you can't go yet".
Stopping for a yellow light is an excellent way to get rear ended!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Lee
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Posts: 3509
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | La Paz drivers maximize their peripheral vision at intersections. If they see you looking at them, you have lost the right of way!
A La Paz policeman on a motorcycle pulled me over for driving through a yellow light. In an exchange of Spanglish, he told me that yellow means stop,
and that red means "you can't go yet".
Stopping for a yellow light is an excellent way to get rear ended! |
When I stop at an intersection stop sign in LP, I'm looking at the other 3 intersections and at any cars coming up behind me.
Any car remotely close to the intersection with and without stop signs, get the right of way.
My experience is MX drivers do a California Stop at stop signs. They slow but roll through. Signs are a suggestion to them.
Obviously, amber traffic lights mean stop if you're a gringo and speed up if you're MX.
Driving with a MX friend around town once, he said I drove like a gringo. I said I AM a gringo.
Cops. Don't agree with Alan's comments about not having eye contact. Just not my experience. If I see a cop and they see me I give them a
thumb up out the window. Don't care what it looks like. Kinda glad to see them. Probably because I consider them brothers.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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Contact Harald Pietschmann
Harald has a unit he rents out
Next time I need to stay in La Paz I will happily hang with Harald (even tho he is a bit left of my comfort level, but hey, I have lots of liberal
friends)
His handle is 4x4abc
You can thank me later for a good lead
and my next advice is to take what Mr Goat says with a very large grain of salt...... maybe the size of one of those you buy in the feed store for
your cattle feedlot.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by livewires | Good afternoon,
I'm looking at visiting La Paz for an extended period of time this next fall and am wanting as much information as I can possibly get regarding places
to stay, surrounding areas and any information that can be helpful. Thanks in advance. |
You might want to visit la paz before deciding to make an extended stay there… fine place to visit for a weekend, wouldn’t choose to live there
for extended period.
Why have you chosen la paz? What’ya lookin’ for? Retirement home? Party scene?
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3825
Registered: 2-9-2004
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Maybe check out La Ventana - stay a week -ask questions - day trip to La Paz for the special outings offered. You've got plenty of time for
researching your questions and culling for your personal preferences, interests. A lot depends on your budget of course. Easy to move around - Todos
Santos, Los Barriles.
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