We decided to take the 9 a.m. shuttle into town this morning. We need to get our annual park permits and I want to find some of the shops I have heard people talking about. We get dropped off at Club Cruceros (Shawn went with us too) and go to the agent's office across the street to get our park permits. The marine parks cost 50 pesos a day per person or you can get an annual permit for 360 pesos. We figured one week out at the islands will pay for the annual permit. Next we go to the coffee hour at the Club. I bought a Club tee shirt and we sat for a bit but there weren't many people there this morning.

We decided to go up into town and find the American bakery we've heard everyone rave about. We soon find it and buy some bread, some cookies and two cream puffs. We immediately eat the cream puffs as soon as we are out on the street. Let me tell you, that was the best cream puff I have ever eaten. Next time I think I'll buy two just for me. We made turkey sandwiches with the bread for dinner tonight and the bread was excellent also. We will definitely be back to this place. We then walk up the hill a couple more blocks to the fabric store. As soon as you walk into the store a young man with a measuring stick meets you and asks what you want to buy. If you buy fabric they unroll the bolt, measure the quantity you want and tear it off the bolt. No cutting tables like in the States. I told the young man who greeted me that I didn't speak Spanish and he left and soon brought a man who spoke some English. I tried to explain I was just looking but I guess people in Mexico don't just window shop. He was quite put out with me. I quickly looked things over and went back outside to wait for the guys.

The next place I want to go to is the bagel shop. It is several blocks over from where we are so we window shop as we walk. The sidewalks are something else in this town. Definitely not handicapped accessible. They may be cobblestone for awhile, and then switch to concrete, many times with big holes filled with dirt and debris sprinkled about. Then if there is a hill, part of the sidewalk converts to steps (usually the steps are not a consistent height) and part of the sidewalk becomes a ramp up/down the hill. Pedestrians don't have the right-of-way either.

One of the large buildings we pass has been converted to a Christmas store selling decorations and presents. Outside the building are some Christmas trees stacked against the wall. I check one of the tags and discover they are from Mulino, Oregon. Small world, huh? I always wondered where those truck loads of trees ended up that pass through Woodburn this time of year. We pass by a bookstore and I see a large map of Baja for sale so I go in and buy one for my Mom so she can track our travels on it. Now I have to figure out how to get it to her.

We eventually find the bagel shop. We order a cup of coffee and a bagel sandwich to make sure they are as good as we have heard. There is no Starbucks in La Paz so we need to find a place to buy our coffee. We buy a pound of coffee (actually 500 grams) and a couple bagels for tomorrow's breakfast. This will also be a place we come back to. By now we are tired and head back down to the main street on the waterfront, hail a taxi and go back to the boat. Time for a nap, a little needlepoint, dinner, another installment of Centennial and then off to bed. Another day in paradise.