Retired Life in La Paz Baja

[ksanders]

Here is a little look and discussion about what Retired Life in La Paz Baja is really like

I have been here since about the first of June in a rented Condo. My boat is being worked on in Anacortes, and will hopefully be done next week.

Here is my view.




My condo is up on the hill in a area on the north side of town near one of the marinas.






It is a Two Bedroom unit that is built like a townhouse where there is one condo on the lower level and one on the top. It came fully furnished complete with everything you meed, Dishes, towels, like an Air B&B but with a longer term. The rent is $1200 a month, all inclusive.

[ksanders]

Now that we have the stage set for how life is, I'll share a typical June day. This is important for anyone considering retirement in Mexico.

The mornings are gorgeous. You wake up make some coffee and sit on your balcony (I have two of them, one in front of the condo and I have exclusive use of the roof top with a large shaded area). There is a bit of a breeze and the air is crisp and clean. You can see people walking and driving by on their way to work. Occasionally you see a jogger or a early morning bicyclist.

After Coffee you decide to do some shopping. There is a small local grocery store a few minutes away where I do most of my shopping. Or I can drive to WalMart or Chedruai which are full size stores around the same size as the US equlivents.

In the store you find all the brands you are used to seeing in America but it is different. There is no Latin or Mexican food isle. After all this is Mexico.
In the produce section you see things you rarely see in America. Fruits you do not know about, Cactus leaves, a huge assortment of peppers. The prices are maybe a third of American prices.
In the cheese section Mexico excels at local cheeses. Most are not colored yellow like in America, and you can choose from a variety of cheeses you will never see north of the border.

The meat section is where you see ther most difference. You will see hog heads, Tripe, and a variety of parts of animals you might not consider eating. a bin of Chicken Feet. If you want American style packaging you need to go to the larger stores. This is real life Mexico. The meat is clean, and fresh but it lacks the packaging in cellophane you see in America. This is like of 1950's America when we had a Butcher counter.

[ksanders]

By around Noon or 1 pm you are done with your daily errands and shopping and head back to your condo. On days when I have no errands I like to take a long walk along the Malecon which is a hige and very popular waterfront sidewalk. By now the temperature is well into the 80's but still comfortable.






As the sun peaks it gets HOT. Hot meaning in the 90's or 100's and humid. This is the time of day where you get the things done around the house that need doing. Cleaning, laundry, etc... Maybe you take a nap for an hour (siesta).

By around 5:30 or so it starts to cool off pretty quickly. People start coming out. You either head to one of your favorite hangouts and have a ice cold beer, or Margarita, or you head down to Cooco's which is a fruit resturant at the bottom of the hill from the condo.






You chat with people, and watch the sun set.

[SeaStar7]

We love our place in Mexico. We spend the winters there and now the summers on our new-to-us 5788 in the PNW.
We have chartered out of La Paz a couple times. The islands are very nice. The Coromuel winds can make your nights sleepless, though.
When do you return to Anacortes and start the next part of your adventure? We did Seattle->Panama in 2013/14 in our 45' sailboat and have fond memories of the whole trip.

[vr5200]

That sunset photo is really nice!

[ksanders]

We love our place in Mexico. We spend the winters there and now the summers on our new-to-us 5788 in the PNW.
We have chartered out of La Paz a couple times. The islands are very nice. The Coromuel winds can make your nights sleepless, though.
When do you return to Anacortes and start the next part of your adventure? We did Seattle->Panama in 2013/14 in our 45' sailboat and have fond memories of the whole trip.

I am flying tio Seattle on Thursday and launching on Friday to start heading South.

My plan is to make it to Ensenada by aug 15th or so.

[Simonsen]

Weather here looks gorgeous to start out your journey!

[ksanders]

Weather here looks gorgeous to start out your journey!

Perfect!

I am just a guy meandering down the coast!

[[email protected]]

Have you found Bandido's Grill yet?
Antonio Navarro & Topete, off the south end of the Malecon.

really relaxed outdoor seating, very good food, went there with buddies when we were just hankering for a great burger & a beer (though they have more).

So very many enjoyable restaurants in LaPaz!

And we loved wandering the Malecon just after dark…..very safe, filled with families out for stroll as it cooled off.

[Mortenti]

Curious of how “the math” of the all inclusive “ condo compares to the math of dockage? Can you park a boat on a trailer at the condo? I mention this because you said you drive a truck.

[ksanders]

Curious of how “the math” of the all inclusive “ condo compares to the math of dockage? Can you park a boat on a trailer at the condo? I mention this because you said you drive a truck.

The condo I am renting costs $1200 a month which is fairly high by mexican standards, but it is a great condo in an area of newer homes. Many condos have great parking for a reasonable size boat but not this one.

Looking at local real estate a nice condo in a gated community will run from $150K and up. Houses are less money in general but have less ammenities. At some point in my life I will need or want to spend more time ashore. If I am re-married a house might make more sense because it offers a yard, etc... but lacks the social situation that condo life provides.

My 50' slip is costing $1000 a month

One could I suppose come here and buy/rent a condo and have a trailerable boat, but it would be easier to just have a smaller slip if one has the funds to support that.

[Mortenti]

The math certainly works for the marina owners for sure! Land developer has to clear land, build a infrastructure, build a building, put bathrooms, kitchens, plumbing, and actually furnish it to only receive $200.00 a month more than a guy that just pounded some pilings in the bottom, and attached some floating docks.
I had no idea that RE traded at such low prices. Buy two, rent one, Heck, sell your boat in ‘top dollar Annacortes’ and buy three condos, then watch the pretty young Senoritas start coming around offering Housekeeping Services (nothing more)
. Spoiler alert- GOOD (don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t have tats, don’t have children by different boyfriends, don’t toss out their opinions, leaves the room when men are talking, doesn’t have a cat, but knows how to cook one, sincerely loves to cook and clean, and has never ever considered even trying drugs or wearing a bikini in public-despite a total smokeshow body, and hopefully speaks little English, but is well read) GIRLS think guys with yachts (no matter their size) are bums. Ask me how I know. I have a good girl- now. Ciao.

[Jim_Gandee]

I’m not buying the part about women thinking guys with yachts are bums! 😁

[ksanders]

I’m not buying the part about women thinking guys with yachts are bums! 😁

Me either...

[Metrodriver]

Don't see a problem with wearing a bikini in public either. Just today I saw 2 girls pushing their bikes up the road towards town from the beach just south of LAX. US is too much of of a large t-shirt /baggie pants country. Oh my, somebody could possibly see an inch of skin...